Heart's Ransom
by leggylover03
Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex
1. Chapter 1

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 1

Cordell Walker kissed his finance good-bye, then departed for work. They had plans later in the day to go riding and then simply sit back and enjoy a peaceful day away from work, but first Walker needed to take some paperwork to Trivette. The whole way to there his mind kept straying to the dinner he would be sharing later, then the wine by the fire, and the heat began to rise inside him as he thought of holding Alex close to him.

It did not take long to find Trivette when he wasn't at headquarters. When Walker walked into CD's, he saw his partner doing what he did best: eating. As he approached the bar, his eyes opened wide at the supposed meal. There before Trivette had to be the biggest sandwich Walker had ever seen.

"Just how are you planning on eating that thing?" he asked, but the sandwich flew from Trivette's hands, half of it landing on CD.

"Walker! Stop sneaking up on me. I hate it when you do that."

"Now, Jimmy, it's not Cordell's fault your mind was busy trying to strip my refrigerator bare."

Trivette was about to say something in retort when the phone rang. CD went over to answer it; when he turned a ghostly white, both men stopped their bickering.

"CD," Walker asked as CD hung up the phone.

CD found himself without the use of his legs and was glad when Trivette caught him before he hit the floor.

"CD! what is it? Who was on the phone?" Walker asked. It worried him seeing his former partner this way.

CD raised his hands, bringing Walker close to him. "They have Alex and said if you do not meet them at the warehouse on the corner of Dryer and Vine in one hour, she is dead."

Walker jumped up to head out the door, but CD held firmly to his arm.

"Cordell, they said come alone or she would die."

"Is there anything else they said, CD?"

When Walker saw CD pale even further, he knew there was more he was not saying.

"CD, what else is there?" Walker started to panic; he had never seen CD in this manner.

CD choked back the lump in his throat, "Cordell, I have never heard such godawful screaming in all my life."

That was all Walker needed to hear; he was out the door and in his truck, pedal to the floor. He had to get to Alex, he had to help her, and hell would not be punishment enough for the ones who had dared to hurt her.

Walker drove past Lee Street and slowed the Dodge Ram as he got near Vine. He would not walk into a trap, not if he could help it. Shutting the door as quietly as possible, he snuck along the side of the abandoned warehouse, until he heard loud voices from within.

"You think I care if she might die? All I care about, Chuck, is Cordell Walker paying for what he did to my family. My wife died in that bank robbery, and if his girlfriend dies, then we will call it payback."

Walker instantly found his senses heightened. Trivette would call it his cherokee thing, but Walker knew it was because he and Alex shared a bond, one that told him now that she was hurt. He silently made his way around to a small window and peered in, and his suspsions were suddenly far too real.

Alex lay on a ragged bed. Her arms were tied to the headboard, dried blood on the corners of her mouth. All of this is not what worried Walker the most, it was the fact that Alex was drenched in sweat and it was in the middle of December.

Cordell eased himself away from the window. He was going to find a way in; he had to get to Alex, and any who got in his way, would regret it. 


	2. Not Without a Fight

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First Walker fic be nice.

Now to the reviewers

Space-Case7029: Thanks!

Person of This World: I love Walker/Alex fics instead of the usual SIdney/Gage ones

Trinitytheshedevil: Thanks!

Jazzcat: The kicks will come, LOL a little later.

Chapter 2

Walker wanted to burst through the door, wanted to run to Alex, but he knew that would get him caught, and then both would be dead. He drew out his gun and peered in a door that was ajar. Then, he made his way into the small open space, squeezing his slender frame through without making a sound, or so he thought.

"Alex," he said, taking her hand in his. He removed the rope binding her wrists to the headboard and kissed her on the brow. Immediately, he drew back. Alex was burning up with fever, and yet her lips were a strange tint of blue. Before he could pull her into an embrace, the world around him went black and he slumped onto the bed.

An hour later...

Walker tried to shake off the dizzy feeling in his head. He knew he was supposed to be somewhere, and it all came rushing back when a whimper from Alex was caught by his still ringing ears.

"Alex!" he yelled, making his head swim. Fighting back nausea, he eased up from the floor. Sitting down on the edge of the grungy bed, he wiped away her sweat-drenched bangs; her forehead scalding to the touch.

"What have they done to you?" he whispered; there was a snort behind him in response.

"Well , well, if it isn't the famous Ranger Walker. I hope your current condition suits you, for it will be the place you die in."

Walker was livid. "What have you done to her?"

"If you are referring to Ms. Cahill, I am simply returning a favor. See, you killed my wife, gunned her down like she was nothing. I ,on the other hand, am giving you a courtesy. You get to watch your girlfriend here die slowly. See, the poison in her body will slowly kill her... Oh, but of course I forgot to mention, she will suffer."

Walker lunged for his throat meaning to rip it out with his bare hands, but he came to an abrupt halt when he saw the barrel of the forty five staring back at him.

"Now, now, you wouldn't want to die now and miss her last words would you?"

Walker eased away and sat down on the edge of the bed, but he gave Roger a look of utter hatred that made the man shudder, even though he was the one holding the gun.

"Don't try anything funny or she dies much sooner, and you will go with her."

Walker slid over on the bed and watched as the lock closed. He did not miss hearing the three different locks clicking, nor did he miss glancing at the window that had bars on it. There was no way out of here, or at least no way he could think of yet. He pulled Alex close to him and laid her head on his lap.

Alex shuddered. Her head felt like lead, and the rest of her felt no better. She wished Walker were here, he would know what to do. Little did she know in her delusioned dreams that he held her in his arms.

Walker could see his own breath. He knew that outside it was barely above freezing. He and Trivette had talked only this morning about how it would dip below freezing tonight. Alex had not been wearing a heavy coat when she left this morning, but he didn't see it anywhere in the room.

Walker tried to pull Alex toward him, but the grimace on her face made him pull back. Carefully as he could, he raised the edge of her shirt, and what he saw sent uncontroled rage through him. Brusies littered her abdomen.

"There was no need for this, Culliver!" he screamed to the closed door.

Gently covering Alex with his own coat, Walker pulled her as close as he dared. She was suffering, and it was all his fault. He was the one who had killed Culliver's wife, not her. Grabbing her hand, he stared down at the engagement ring he had placed on her finger not two months ago. He kissed her hand softly, but something caught his eye.

When Walker looked at her fingernails he could see a pieces of flesh imbedded beneath the nails and that her index finger was bruised, probably from being jammed. He smiled, despite the situation, for it seemed Alex had not gone down without a fight. 


	3. Just Breathe

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Now to the reviewers who make my day!

Trinitytheshedevil: snicker his is coming!

danhyde girl: send your addy to my addy! and thanks!

Jazzcat: Yes, Culliver is in for a world of hurt

HopeGrace-MLH: thanks!

louise1717: yes! I searched and found NO walker/alex fics on ff so this is mine

Space-Case7029: Thanks Audra!

Person of this World: Thanks for the wonderful! review! made me smile

Now on with the fic!

Chapter 3

All day Walker sat holding Alex, praying that somehow he could find a way out of this nightmare. The only thing that brought him from his thoughts was the sound of Alex stirring in her sleep.

He knew why she was shaking. It was not from fear any longer it was from the temperature in the room. The windows although they had bars on them, also had holes, and the cold winds of winter were blowing through. Walker himself was cold, but he knew that Alex did not need this extra burden on her. Her skin was so pale and yet she was burning with fever, he did not understand.

Walker knew Alex had been poisoned, but what else had Culliver done to her? What other things did she have to endure before unconsciousness took her. Walker shook his head, he didn't want to know. Again Alex stirred beneath him, and this time she opened her eyes.

"Walker?" she mumbled.

"Sshh Alex, you just rest. I will figure out a way to get us out of here."

Alex fell limp again at his side. He was just about to lay her down to pull the covers to her chin when she started to twitch. He shrugged it off, thinking it was nothing... until the convulsions started.

Over and over again Alex thrashed about on the bed, sending her shirt up as she did and exposing the bruises littering her abdomen. Walker could see now that one of her ribs were broken, and he did not wish for her to harm herself any further, so gently he held her still against the bed. His arms pinning hers down, and glad she was asleep so she could not see the lines of worry etched on his face.

Alex's body went limp in another minute but it brought her back to the world of the waking and she stared deeply into Walker's eyes. Tears pooled there and soon were cascading down her face.

"Walker, I'm so cold," she managed to utter, as her teeth began to chatter.

"I know Alex I know, just hang on for me. CD and Trivette will come soon and we will be back at the ranch in front of a nice warm fire."

Alex was going to speak, but the door to the room flung open and in walked Roger Culliver grinning from ear to ear.

"Awww how sweet, picturing you and your girlfriend here escaping do you ranger? Well I am here to inform you that will not happen. You see, I was having all sorts of fun getting information out of Ms. Cahill here before you arrived and I believe you interrupted that. Now I intend to finish what I started."

Walker jumped to his feet at this proclamation. He knew Alex feared being cornered and had spent weeks laying in his arms crying over the LaRue episode. The mere thought of it sent her into a panic attack, and once she had even stopped breathing from it. He was not about to let this man send her back into that nightmare.

"Your problem is with me leave her out of this!"

"On the contrary she serves as a very vital piece in the scheme of things. You see I wanted revenge and first thought of that old man you think so highly of, but he is not valuable enough. Then my second thought was your partner; what is his name, but again I threw this notion out. No by far Ms. Cahill here holds the most leverage with you. My plans however are not to harm you yet ranger, but I think I will break you, by having you watch me hurt her," Culliver said, pointing to the now cowering Alex on the bed. This was all it took to send Walker into a rage.

Before Culliver knew what hit him a spinning back kick connected to his head sending him flying across the room. Quickly he grabbed Alex as Culliver laid on the floor shaking the remnants of that off and walked out the door. He made it just outside the entrance to the room when he came face to face with the twelve gauge shotgun. Staring back at him was Roger Culliver's brother, Chuck.

Walker was slung into the chair and his wrists were bound behind his back. Next were his feet, and then the gag was placed in his mouth.

"Now as I was saying before you so rudely interrupted me. I was thinking nothing would be sweeter than for you to watch your lovely girlfriend here suffer, and know there was not a damn thing you could do about it. Now should you have any ideas in your head of getting out of that chair, know that the shotgun pointed at your head will blow a hole into the lovely Ms. Cahill here."

Walker's icy stare at Culliver was all he could do. He watched with fearful eyes as Alex moved further back on the bed, and was grabbed by her hair and pulled off it. She did not stand long on the floor as Culliver delivered a slap that sent her flying back onto the mattress.

"Come now honey show me some of that love that you reserve for your ranger."

Alex pulled her arm back and before Culliver knew it she had punched him square in the nose. It was broken, the blood pouring from it, but Culliver simply swiped his hand across his face, smearing the blood as he did, and laughed.

"So you wanna play that game do you honey? Well, two can play that."

Culliver's fist made contact with the side of Alex's face sending her back against the mattress hard. She was stunned and did not see the next blow coming, but the sound of another rib breaking, was confirmation that Culliver's punch had done damage. He was drawing back to strike her again, but the gasps coming from her stopped him.

"Chuck will you lookie here. Seems our Ms. Cahill here is finding it hard to breathe. Now I am a God fearing man, and I believe if she is destined to live she will, so I am going to untie you Ranger Walker, and if the Lord sees fit you will be able to save Ms. Cahill here."

Roger Culliver went to stand beside Walker and he could see the muscles beneath the man's shirt tensed up with adrenaline. He knew if Cordell Walker got the chance he would kill him.

"Now ranger if you get any ideas about trying to do me in when I untie you, I want you to know my brother will pull the trigger on your Ms. Cahill there."

Walker knew Culliver meant what he said, that he would indeed kill Alex given the chance, and he could not risk it. When Culliver untied him he stood up and stared directly into his eyes.

"When we get out of here I am coming for you Culliver.. Nothing will stop me, and it will not be Ranger Walker coming for you, it will be man to man."

Culliver took two steps back, reeling from the hatred coming from Walker and he and his brother left the room swiftly, locking the door behind them.

Walker ran over to the bed, and placed Alex back atop the pillows. She was still gasping for breath.

"Alex don't let them win, breathe Alex.. breathe!" he pleaded, but Alex kept flailing, her gasps for air becoming more frantic.

Walker tried to rub her face to calm her, tried holding her hand, but the fear in Alex's eyes showed him she was trapped in a world he could not get to her in.

Alex pounded the bed, the beads of sweat forming on her face as the air would not come. Her lips were turning a pale shade of blue, and tears were leaking out of the corners of her eyes.

"Dammit Alex fight it, breathe Alex!" Walker screamed in frustration.

He could not watch her die, not this way, not here with him helpless to stop it. None of his thoughts would save her though and her body started to seize up with each gasp. It had only been seconds but it felt like a lifetime had went by, and Walker watched with tears in his eyes as Alex's face turned blue. He wanted to help her, wanted to make her suffering stop, but it was not possible.

"Alex calm down, breathe for me Alex," he begged her over and over to no avail, and he watched her grasp on his shirt fade with one last breath taken, and she fell beneath his arms.

"Alex..No!" he screamed.

Knowing he had but precious few minutes Walker placed his hands above her navel and started compressions. He didn't know why she had stopped breathing completely. It could have been the poison flowing through her body, or the panic attack or both, or some other culmination of things Culliver had done to her before he got there, but he was determined she would not die now.

Walker pumped her chest, and tried to blow a breath of life into her, but his actions seemed futile. When he heard another rib crack under the strain of his actions, he winced, but the sound of Alex taking in a breath, was like music to his ears.

Alex rolled away from him and crawled out of the bed. She tried to stand but in her delirium she fell back to the floor. Crawling to the corner of the room she retched. The cool air coming in from the window, did little to ease the fever raging inside her, and she didn't notice Walker coming over till he sat down beside her.

She no longer could breathe without sounding raspy, the cracked ribs making Walker worry even more. He knew Alex could not survive much longer no matter how strong she was, and he would not hold together much longer watching her suffer.

Carefully as he could he picked her up and put her back down on the bed. He couldn't bundle her up in his coat anymore, for the pressure on her broken ribs made her whimper in pain, so he pulled her close to him and wrapped his arm around her chest, falling into a fitful sleep. 


	4. One Wrong Move

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Now to the reviewers!

louise1717: Thank you! glad you like it

Person of this World: I will give hints as to what happened to her,yes and thank you for the long review I loved the detail of it.

Space-Case7029: yes, she didn't die, now can Walker het her out?

HopeGrace-MLH: hehehehe update time! thanks!

Jazzcat: He will get his, but how will they fair is the question

All your reviews brought a smile to me, thanks! Now on with the fic!

Chapter 4

CD greeted Trivette as he walked through the door. "Jimmy, have you heard from Cordell today?"

"Now that you mention it, no. You don't think he ran into any trouble do you?"

The smack to the back of the head was so instantaneous that Trivette never saw it coming. "Just how many times have you known Cordell not to call you for more than a day?"

Trivette rubbed his head as worry set in. "Now that you mention it, never. You don't suppose anything is wrong do you?"

"Good Lord, I hope not, Jimmy. He and Alex were supposed to go off to that cabin this weekend, maybe he's there. Check there first."

"Check there! Do you know it is a helicopter ride, then a four mile hike through the woods to get to that cabin."

"Well then, I suggest you get going, and do not forget to call me when you know something."

Trivette rolled his eyes, barely missing the next swat to the head as he left to find Walker and Alex. Little did he know he was wasting valuable time.

Walker was cold. That was saying a lot considering he had been on many hunts on the reservation in the winter, but they'd always had a crackling fire every night. Here there was nothing but the gusts of winds coming through the cracks in the window. He could hear Culliver and his brother on the other side of the door laughing it up and, by the sound of it, getting rowdy. He was about to pull Alex closer to him when the door flung open and Roger Culliver stepped into the room reeking of alcohol.

"So has the little woman told you of our love?"

"Alex does not love you, and she never would."

Roger Culliver laughed, spittle flying from his mouth. "Yes, true, she didn't want to love me, put up quite the fight."

Walker's stomach lurched thinking of Culliver putting his hands on Alex. "I am in no mood for your lies, Culliver. What is the purpose of keeping us here anyway? Why not let Alex go? It is me you want, right?"

"As I told you before, Ranger. You killed my wife, the only reason I woke up every day. I have thought of nothing but that since that day. You were always a loner before, but then you took to Ms. Cahill here and even asked her to marry you. Well, that just gave me the perfect revenge, now didn't it?"

Culliver walked over and placed a tray on the table. "This is to keep up your strength. We wouldn't want you to miss out on her dying, now would we?" Snickering, Culliver stepped back out of the room and locked the door. Not long after, Walker could hear them conversing loudly.

"Alex... Alex wake up," Walker said, trying to sit her up.

He knew she needed to eat something. He had already been here two days and had not seen her eat anything. He held the cup of water to her lips, but the moment the water ran down her throat she began to cough. She choked, but soon the cool soothing water running down her throat was easing her parched lips.

"Good, now then, how about you try to eat something?"

Walker picked up the spoon and ladled out just a small bite of the red jello that was there. Holding it up to Alex's mouth, he coaxed her to take a bite.

"Come on now, just a small bite, Alex, you need to eat something."

Alex took the bite of jello, but all too soon her face scrunched up and she leaned over the bed, retching into the small wastebasket.

Walker didn't know what to do, so he rubbed her back in soothing circles until she sat back on the bed, but a grimace of pain was evident on her face. He knew her ribs must be killing her, so he gently helped her back, but even as gentle as he was, she let out the whimper of pain and one sole tear rolled down her face. Just as Walker wiped it away, the door burst back open and Culliver walked back in.

"Oh, how stupid of me to forget to tell you. The poison I gave Ms. Cahill there interacts with any kind of food, making her sick."

"Are you crazy! She will starve to death!" Walker shouted.

"Not the way I would prefer her to die, but it is an option," Culliver said, grinning maliciously.

He tossed a small bag on the bed near Walker's feet and then turned as if to leave, but then stopped.

"That is a few medical supplies. We wouldn't want her dying to quickly, now would we? It would ruin all the fun of you watching her die slowly."

After Culliver left the room, Walker opened he bag to find a thermometer, two band aids, and a bottle of rubbing alcohol. Full of frustration he flung the empty bag onto the floor. None of these were going to help, and Alex was slipping in and out of consciousness. She was awake now, and Walker figured he would try to get as much information out of her as he could.

"Alex," he whispered, "can you tell me exactly what happened before I got here?"

Alex's voice sounded raspy, her breaths coming in short wheezes, but she began to tell Walker about how Culliver had snatched her at the ranch, when she had went back inside for her keys, and brought her here. She told him how Culliver had ripped her shirt off and tried to touch her, but that she had fought back and he ended up beating her for it. By now she was crying again, and she told Walker how Culliver had held her down and poured the poison down her throat. She didn't remember anything else, but now she was trying to catch her breath between the sobs.

Walker pulled her to him and stroked her sweat drenched head until she had calmed down. Thinking he might as well know what he was dealing with, he pulled the thermometer from the bag and placed it under her tongue and waited. He was fearful she would break it, as her teeth were chattering, but after two minutes, he pulled it out of her mouth and held it to the light.

The thermometer read a hundred and four. Walker dropped it like it was a grenade and pulled Alex closer to him. He had to get out of here. Placing her down on the bed, he went over to the window and looked out. He knew this was not an option for escape, so he went to the door and listened. No sound was coming from the other side, so pulling his penknife from his pocket, he eased the lock on the door till he heard the click.

Slowly Walker crept out. He saw Roger Culliver asleep, or passed out, on the couch and eased past him, but he was distracted once again and did not see Chuck until the gun was pointed at his face. Walker was not going down this time, and he smacked the gun from Chuck's hand. Chuck was stunned, and that was all it took for Walker to send a roundhouse kick to the side of his head. Chuck went flying over the back of a makeshift table in the room, and Walker was on top of him, throwing punch after punch, until he felt the tug on the back of his shirt. Turning, he came face to face with Roger, who was holding Alex by her hair.

"See here, Walker, I have a punching bag, too," and that is when Walker noticed Alex's split lip.

Walker wanted to kill him. He wanted to serve his own kind of justice, and that was a forty five slug in Roger Culliver's chest, but he was holding Alex, so, instead, Walker stood up and let himself be led back into the room he had just escaped.

Chuck held Walker at gunpoint while his arms were tied behind his back.

"Now you want to pass punches and use your fancy moves on my brother? I will show you what messing with my family gets you."

Roger slung Alex on the bed, and she lay there too weak to move as Roger pulled the belt from his pants. The first lash hit her squarely across the back, leaving a welt in its place; the scream that echoed from Alex brought Walker to his feet.

"Boom!" The gun beside Walker's head went off, leaving a hole in the headboard of the bed the size of a grapefruit.

"Sit down or the next one will be through Ms. Cahill over there." So Walker sat back down.

Lash after lash rained down on Alex and her screams were mixed with pleading to stop. She begged, she cried, but still Culliver continued on. He let the strap of the belt leave welts on her back and legs until there was no more sounds coming from Alex, not even crying.

"Well, my work here is done," Culliver said, replacing his belt in his pants. "Try escaping again and this will seem merciful compared to the bullet hole in her gut."

Walker fell to his knees. He had tried to escape and Alex had paid the price for it. Wiping tears from the corner of his eyes, he pulled himself up and walked over to the bed. Alex wasn't moving, and he hoped she had passed out. When he turned her over, though, he could see she had bitten her lip trying to keep from crying out again and that she was, in fact, awake. He wiped blood from her mouth and gave her a sip of water from the glass.

"Alex, I am so sorry," he said, placing the thermometer back in her mouth. He left it there while he tried to wipe some of the welts with the water and clean them up. He was gentle, but the tears running down her face showed him just how painful it was. As soon as he was finished he took the thermometer out and held it to the light. One hundred and five it read, and he dropped it back on the bed like it was a fiery ember.

Alex shot straight up in the bed, grabbing at her throat. "Walker... " she wheezed out. "Can't breathe!"

There was a look of panic in her eyes; a look of fear that Walker had never see before.

"Just calm down, Alex, you can breath, just take slow deep breaths." He rubbed her back, trying to ease the panicked look in her eyes, but she was soon gasping for air.

"Can't... breathe... help me, Walker," she said, in between gulps for air.

Walker laid her down flat on the bed and placed himself next to her. He pressed gently on her chest, trying to get her lungs to take in a breath forcefully, but the gentle pushes were not working, Alex was turning red in the face, gasping, choking in front of his eyes. She pounded the bed beside her, clawing at the sheets.

"Alex, you can do this. Breathe, Alex, come on, breathe for me."

Alex's hands once again flew to her throat, tears streaming now down her face as her lips turned a slight blue tint.

"Alex I love you; please, just breathe," Walker pleaded, his own tears now mixing with hers as they spilled from his eyes. He didn't want to perform CPR. He didn't want to press down any harder on her chest, but she was not drawing in any air on her own, so he did and felt the broken ribs beneath his hands.

Alex's hands stopped clutching the sheets and now grabbed his shirt, fists balled up. Her eyes were filled with terror like he had never seen before and her lips were turning a darker shade of blue. He pressed more firmly, hoping that it would work, but his hopes were in vain.

Cordell Walker was not used to losing a battle, but he had no idea what to do. The medicine men of the tribe taught him many things, but he had nothing here in this barren room to help him, nothing to save the only woman besides his mother that he had ever loved.

Alex was beating on the bed with one hand, while the other was clawing at her throat, wishing she could take in a breath. Walker kept on pressing her chest, pumping it harder and harder, praying for her to take in just one lungful of air. Her brow was drenched in sweat, her face twisted in agony, and he was pushing on an already battered chest all in vain, for Alex's hands slipped from her throat and fell limply to the bed.

Walker stopped and looked down at Alex. He saw she had stopped breathing and a primal scream reverberated off the thin walls. "Noooo!" 


	5. One Long Night

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Tigerlily: Thanks! glad you like it!

anolly: POOF update!

Keronshara: mistake fixed thanks!

Twinkle386: Hope I answered your question.

Person of this World: yes Culliver is EVIL, and I love your long reviews

Space-Case7029: Suspense is good! and thanks

danhyde girl: yes it would be sad if she dies..

HopeGrace-MLH: Well, hmmm to let Alex die...

Thanks to all who reviewed, they made me smile! Now on with the fic!

Chapter 5

CD and Trivette scanned the driveway by the ranch, but it was Trivette who spoke up first.

"Why are we out here searching? We should be going to the place Walker was told to go, not out here looking for God knows what."

"If you would stop and use the thing between your ears, you would know I was looking for something to tell us who the kidnappers might be. You heard them yourself, if anyone were to come besides Walker they would kill Alex. Do you want to send in the calvary to save them, and hope they don't die, or are you going to stop your quibbling and help me look for clues?"

"You could have said that from the beginning you know. I am worried to."

"I'm sorry Jimmy of course you are worried, now get to work!"

Walker pumped on Alex's chest as hard as he dared, feeling the ribs crackling beneath his strong hands as he blew into her mouth. Memories of them together were flashing through his mind. He was seeing Alex, holding his hand when he awoke in the hospital after the accident, of her face the night of the Cyclone. All these thoughts disappeared now though, and were replaced with the horror before him now. Her eyes were closed, her chest not rising, and her lips the bluish tint still on them.

"Alex... please don't leave me, not now. Fight it Alex, fight for me, for us."

Walker again tried to blow the breath of life into her limp body, and again she did not respond. He knew the panic attacks were growing worse, but he feared that her injuries and fever were too great.

"I won't give up on you Alex, please.. don't give up on me," he pleaded as he continued to work on her. Tears ran down his face, a sight not seen by many from the usually stoic man. Nothing ever phased Cordell Walker, nothing but the love of his life, Alex.

The gasp from beneath him sent joy throughout his body, and Walker whispered to her, "Alex.. come on you can do it, come back to me. Just open your eyes."

Alex opened her eyes, and Walker felt a surge of relief washed over him. He didn't care that he was openly weeping, all he cared about was that for now he still had Alex. He cuddled her close to him, and wiped the sweat from her forehead.

"Walker... I'm sorry, I just.."

"Sshhh, don't try to talk right now. Did I tell you how much I love you Alex, and that as soon as we get out of here, I am going to marry you."

Alex was about to answer Walker when the door flung open to reveal a very drunk Roger Culliver. He stumbled in through the door, and flung off the arm of his brother Chuck who was trying to hold him steady.

"Marry her? Is that what you said ranger? Why in the world would you marry her?"

Walker wanted to kill this man, to rip his throat out, but he held his tongue for now, glaring his hatred.

"You see before you came along me and Ms. Cahill here were having a nice chat. Oh sure she spoke about loving you, but inside she wanted me."

"Shut up Culliver! No one here wants to hear your lies."

"Lies... why ranger I am hurt. Your Ms. Cahill there and I became quite good friends before you showed up. Now don't get me wrong she put up a valiant fight, but in the end I won the argument and she saw the error of her ways."

Roger Culliver was getting angrier as he spoke, and Walker tensed as he stood up and started walking toward the bed.

"All I wanted was for her to love me, but all she wanted was Walker, her ranger. I was not good enough for her, so she found out I could have her even if she did not wish to return the love."

At the deadly look from Walker, Culliver explained further.

"Yes, I touched your Ms. Cahill here, her hair was so soft, and her legs why they are enough to drive a man insane, but when I tried to show her just how much I loved her she fought like a tiger. You see she didn't want me touching her, she screamed for Walker! Walker! that is all I heard so I had to teach her a lesson. You can't even imagine how good it felt to slap her, or to see my belt carving her pretty little flesh into shreds, but still she called for you, but I finally shut her up, indeed I did, and if I can't have her then neither will you. The poison will kill her, and I will win in the end."

Roger Culliver approached the bed and laid his hand across Alex's face, caressing it gently, but Alex pulled back further, trying to hide behind Walker. This enraged Culliver and he drew back his hand to slap Alex, but his hand never reached her as Walker punched him. When Roger hit the floor Walker was on top of him his hands punching him over and over, his vision blurring, the vision of Alex laying dead beneath him driving his fists onward.

Walker did not stop till he heard the click of the gun behind him, and when he looked up he saw Culliver's brother holding the gun to Alex's head.

"You will let my brother up, or Ms. Cahill will die sooner than you thought."

Walker wanted revenge, but not at the price of Alex so he slowly let Culliver up. Roger staggered to the door holding his bleeding lip, and returned in a few seconds with a bottle.

"You tie him up Chuck and make sure he can't get loose, you hear me."

Chuck walked over to Walker and tied him to the chair beside the bed, and then Roger Culliver walked over.

"Think your ranger boyfriend here is so brave, think he can save you from even death do you Ms. Cahill, well think again. Let's see how you enjoy this," Roger said, opening up the bottle of vodka as he climbed on top of the bed, straddling Alex so she could not move.

"Leave her alone!" Walker screamed, trying to get loose from the ropes binding him.

"Open your mouth!" Roger screamed at Alex, but she refused, clamping her mouth shut as hard as she could. Even after Roger had pried her mouth open, Alex refused to swallow the alcohol knowing it would cause her pain.

"Refusing to swallow it I see. Well, we can fix that," and with a punch to the ribs Alex screamed and swallowed the vodka. Over and over Roger did this till Alex stopped refusing to swallow it, as she could barely breathe with him sitting atop her. When Alex thought she could take no more Culliver finally got off her, and under gunpoint Walker's ropes were loosened.

"Well, you two have a good night. I am sure it will be a long one."

Culliver was right for as soon as he locked the door Alex started to groan in agony.

"Walker.. the pain is too much. I'm gonna be sick."

"Don't worry Alex I am right here," Walker said, as Alex leaned over the bed and retched again and again. Walker knew Culliver had said that food would cause an averse reaction with the poison and he knew the pint of vodka Culliver had poured down her throat would be ten times worse. He truly did not know if he could watch this, but he had to try and be strong.

The next four hours were spent with Alex leaning over the bed, while Walker rubbed her back trying to soothe her. It was not long before nothing was coming up and Alex merely dry heaved until she would choke, but finally around dawn the nausea let up and Alex fell back onto the bed wheezing.

"Just how many ribs were broken," Walker wondered. "How long could Alex survive without food and medical help. He was sure he could do nothing if she got any worse, and his nightmare would come to pass as he watched her die in his arms. Four days now it had been with little food. Walker had eaten the jello Culliver had left, and they had water to drink, but how long could they last here in this room? Were CD and Trivette looking for them? Would they find them in time before Alex and he both died here by Culliver's hand?

Alex wheezed, and gasped in a breath before settling down again. She looked tired and worn from the nights hell. Placing the thermometer under her tongue Walker waited, for the longest two minutes of his life, until the alarm on his watch signified it was time to read it.

One hundred and five point four the thermometer read, and Walker placed it on the table and grabbed the water that was left in the cup. Holding Alex up he got her to drink a sip and then poured the rest on the strip of sheet he tore off. He laid the strip over her forehead and prayed that she would not go into convulsions. Praying was all he could do right now, but inside his head was already turning, trying to figure out a way to get out of there. 


	6. A Glimpse at Freedom

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

tigerlily: hmmmm could be

W/A FAN: welcome to the fic!

Trinitytheshedevil: thanks!

Space-Case7029: yes I believe he does love to goad Walker

van-fastlane-lover: thanks!

Person of this World: Loves your long reviews, and yes I agree Culliver is EVIL

Twinkle386: nothing like impending doom to bring people closer

Thank you to all my reviewers you make my day with them!

Chapter 6

Walker had watched Alex toss and turn all night long. He could only tell by the sunlight streaming through the window that it was daytime now, and he wondered just how long it was going to take Trivette and CD to come for him.

"Will they come for us?" he thought to himself.

He carefully laid Alex down on the bed and moved over to the window. The bars were wedged in tight, which meant, no matter how hard he pulled, they were not coming out by brute strength alone. Walker looked more closely and noticed that the wall around the bars had broken away in spots, and he had a thought. Walker knew if he could scrape away part of the wall, he could get the bars out, or at least enough of them to push himself and Alex through. He set to work.

Two hours had gone by, and Walker was still frantically chiseling away at the wall surrounding the bars. He had made lots of progress, but Alex had cried out in her sleep and he had spent an hour trying to calm her down again. Bit by bit he worked until the sweat beaded on his forehead, despite the near freezing temperatures outside. He could see the alleyway he had walked down four days ago. If only he had known then he would have waited for backup. Wiping 'what if's from his mind, he picked up the other piece of the wall he had chiseled away and grabbed one of the bars. Sure enough, when he pulled on it, the bar came free from the window.

Walker was estatic. Pulling another bar free, he could see the way to freedom sitting there before his eyes. Walker laid the bars he had taken down silently on the floor and then went over to the bed to get Alex.

"Alex, " he whispered.

Alex did not stir in her sleep, something that made him feel a pang of panic, until he saw the rise and fall of her chest. Knowing he had precious little time, Walker carried her over to the window and bundled the blanket around her as best he could. He held her up as he crawled out of the window, and then Walker began to pull her through. He knew it was going to be a tight squeeze, but in his zeal to get out, Walker did not realize just how much it would hurt until Alex let out the scream, even in her sleep.

The scream was an instant signal to the Culliver brothers, and Walker could hear the locks on the door as he finished pulling out the still screaming Alex. Grabbing her up, Walker hoped they could make it to safety before Culliver and his brother got to them. He knew his truck was beyond the alleyway, or at least he knew that was where he left it. Alex was grunting in pain, her breaths becoming shallow and weak. Walker hated himself for causing her pain, but the end result would be their freedom. Hoisting her up higher on his shoulder, he took off running as fast as he could through the alleyway, but what waited for him was not the sight of his truck, but the Culliver brothers, standing where his truck had been.

"Going somewhere?" Roger Culliver said, twirling a set of keys in his hand.

Walker set Alex down on the ground at his feet and prepared to fight to the death.

Roger Culliver walked straight over to Walker, standing not three feet from him, and smiled.

"See, I knew you were clever enough to escape; it was only a matter of time."

Walker was enraged, and his usual calm demeanor was thrown to the wind when he lunged for Culliver. Wrapping his hands around Roger Culliver's throat, he started screaming.

"Why would you hunt me down? I killed your wife by accident. She died needlessly, do you hear me, needlessly, all for your greed!" Walker ranted.

This sent Culliver's face into a scowl and he ran at Walker, his hatred clearly seen on his face. Culliver's fist made contact with Walker's chin, and Walker's face snapped to the side, but Walker turned back to face Roger Culliver, set in determination.

Culliver never saw it coming, not until he felt the spinning roundhouse connect to his jaw. Roger Culliver went down hard, and Walker did not let up. His fury over all that had happened was evident. He jumped on Culliver, choking him, sending his fist raining down on his face, until Roger Culliver was screaming to be let up.

Walker raised his hand again, but the click of the gun brought it to a halt.

"Wanna hit someone ranger, want to cause my family even more suffering?" Chuck Culliver hissed, as Walker turned and saw the man standing next to Alex, a three-fifty-seven held to her temple.

Walker froze as he looked into Alex's eyes and saw fear. Her eyes were staring into his soul, he thought, begging him to help her, pleading with him to end this nightmare. But before he could move toward her, Chuck sent the butt of the gun into her temple. Alex fell to the ground, unmoving except for the twitching of her arm.

Walker stood up, releasing the trapped Roger Culliver from underneath him and ran to Alex's side. He pushed a smiling Chuck out of the way and knelt down on the frozen ground next to her. She was breathing, but now her brow sported a new injury -- one that was bleeding profusely.

"See, we thought you might have ideas of getting to your truck, so we moved it around the corner. Now, though, I think you have made this place a little unsafe. I think we are going to have to go to this cabin of yours. The one you have tucked away in the mountains, away from town and away from any prying lawmen." Roger chuckled, as he stood shakily to his feet.

Walker picked Alex up and cradled her to his chest. Her fever was raging, making her skin hot to the touch despite the condition outside. He knew she would die without medical attention soon. Walker walked around the corner, gun held to his back as he carried Alex to the Dodge Ram. He pulled open the door and went to place Alex inside, but Roger Culliver snatched his arm back.

"Oh, no, Ranger Walker. See, me and Chuck here are riding in the truck. You and your lady friend, well, see, you two are riding in the back."

"She will die in this weather, Culliver, and you know it!"

"It's in God's hands now, Walker. Now move, or she will die here with a slug to the head."

Walker did as he was told and carefully set Alex in the back of the truck. Culliver jumped up on the tailgate and tied Walker's hands together, stringing the remaining rope through the window. After making sure Walker was secure, he pulled a bandana out of his pocket and gagged Walker.

"We wouldn't want you yelling out, now would we? Can't have you alerting any passing cars."

Walker knew it was uncessary, as they rarely ever passed a car on the way to the mountain cabin. Culliver was just finding ways to be cruel. As soon as Culliver was inside the truck and it was cranked, Walker slid over next to Alex. He used his feet to drag the blanket he kept in the back of the truck to cover wood and pulled it over them as best he could. Then he curled his body next to Alex's. Even inches away he could feel the heat radiating off her, but what worried him most was whether she would survive the four hour drive in thirty degree weather. 


	7. Deep Thoughts

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

becky: thanks!

Person of this World: you shall see

Space-Case7029: hope you enjoy the chapter!

danhyde-girl: thanks I am!

Twinkle386: yes the angst is not over yet.

Jennifer Hatcher: thankies!

Keronshara: I hope this helps

Your reviews bring a smile to my face, now on with the fic!

Chapter 7

Trivette and CD had checked out Walker's ranch.

"I swear, Jimmy, if he has touched one hair on Alex's head I will string him up somewhere for the vultures."

"Don't worry, CD, you will have to stand in line behind Walker, I am sure."

CD could see the frustration on Jimmy's face, and the tone of his voice was harsh.

"Why wouldn't you let me go and search the crime scene when I wanted?" Trivette said, finally releasing the question that had been eating him up inside.

CD came over and placed his hand on Trivette's shoulder. "Now, Jimmy, I know you are one of the best darn rangers there is in the state of Texas, but I also know your stubborness. Your heart would have led the investigation, not your brain."

"I could have handled anything that they threw at me. Why would you keep me away? Walker is my partner," Trivette argued.

"Look, son, we searched his ranch and found the blood split there. We have searched every warehouse where Walker was supposed to be. There were over twelve warehouses there. Don't you think we might have tipped Culliver off if we had gone in there guns blazing. Your temper would have gotten the best of you, and he might have killed Alex and Walker."

"Who's to say they aren't already dead? We found the blood, CD. What if it was Walker's or Alex's."

"Don't you worry none; it is being checked right now in the lab. It was type O, and Walker does not have type O blood."

"What about Alex?"

CD hung his head. "That I don't know."

"I can't take standing around here doing nothing at all. I am going to check the cabin again, anything to keep my mind off what might be happening."

CD opened the car door and got in. "Well, come on then. I know you didn't think I was going to let you go alone."

Trivette got in his car and revved the engine up, squealing the tires as he left CD's. He was worried, and it showed.

Walker had spent the first two hours trying to scoot closer to Alex, only to have his body thrown to the opposite side of the truck each time Culliver took a curve. His own body ached, and Walker knew Alex was as close to death as she could be. She no longer made any noise, even at the pleading of Walker. He could see her lips again turning a bluish hue and her face was as pale as a sheet. Before he could try and wiggle closer to her, Culliver went around another curve, sending Walker into the side of the truck hard.

Walker was angry, not only with Culliver, but at himself. He had broken every law the indians had taught him. He had gone in alone, not taking anyone with him. He had let his heart over rule his mind, and now he was trapped. The indian way was to escape, and Walker knew he could have long ago, but he knew he could not have gotten far with Alex injured as she was, and he was not about to leave her behind.

Walker scooted back over once again. In his anger he had tried to break the ropes binding his wrists, and now they were bleeding. He should have known better, as the ropes were his own, given to him by White Eagle -- ropes of the finest quality, and not ones that would break. Walker settled for scooting closer to Alex, mumbling through the gag for her to open her eyes. She didn't, and his anxiety grew tenfold. He nuzzled her face with his and laid his head against hers. As he glanced up, he saw that they were no more than a few minutes from the cabin, for the trees he could see were frosted over with ice above him. He hoped that Trivette would not give up the search for Alex and himself. He smiled, knowing that his partner would search night and day to find them; that brought a small bit of comfort to his mind. Now if only Alex could hold on that long.

"Jimmy, if you don't mind, I would like to survive to see Walker and Alex; slow down."

Trivette snapped his head up. He had been lost in thought and, when he looked at the gauge, noticed he was driving ninety down a country road. He slowly eased his foot from the gas pedal and heard CD sigh with relief.

He noticed that they were no longer in town. He knew that he had seen the town not too long ago and wondered just how long he had been thinking. Walker was his only thought -- Walker, the man he looked up to, the one who had trained him as a ranger and accepted him from the beginning.

He had seen Walker get out of far worse messes than this, so where was he? Trivette was so lost in thought he did not hear CD calling his name until the man jerked his arm, almost sending them both careening off the road.

"Why did you do that?"

"You haven't heard a word I said, Jimmy. I asked if that looked like Walker's truck back at that store."

Jimmy shook his head. "That was not Walker's truck; his has a small dent on the tailgate. I know because I hit a telephone pole backing it up. I didn't even tell him about it because I thought he would be angry."

CD stared into the eyes of Trivette, the man he thought of as a friend, and saw regret and pain in those brown eyes staring back at him. "We'll find them, don't you worry. Someone watches over people like Walker."

"I hope you're right, CD, I hope you're right."

Meanwhile...

Walker had almost fallen asleep when the truck brakes slammed and sent him flying. His head smacked off the side of the bed of the truck, causing him to screamed out, and when he screamed, Alex stirred. She didn't wake, not when Culliver dragged her out of the truck, or when he dumped them both in the livingroom of the cabin.

It was only a one bedroom cabin, with the couch turning into a bed, so that is where Culliver placed Walker and Alex, tossing Alex as if she were a rag doll.

"Roger, we have got to get out of town. Can't we get rid of them, before we end up in jail or, worse, with every Texas Ranger on our tail. They must be looking for these two."

"Don't worry, I have plans for these two come morning. Go watch them; I don't want them escaping tonight, not before I can set my plans into motion."

Chuck went to do as his brother asked, but seeing how the woman was asleep, he didn't see the need to watch them so closely. Sure, Walker was no longer tied, but Chuck knew he had the gun. One wrong move from either of them, and he would not hesitate to kill them.

Roger Culliver sat at the kitchen table drinking a beer from the refrigerator, with a sandwich sitting in front of him. He motioned for his brother to join him, but he made sure his rifle was kept on both Alex and Walker.

Walker pulled Alex to him and noticed how shallow her breathing was, how hot her skin felt to the touch, and wondered what Roger Culliver had planned for them later. Culliver had spoken of something he wished to do, but Walker had no clue. Before anymore thoughts could enter his mind, he saw Culliver get up and walk towards him, just as Alex woke up. His muscles tensed; he was ready for a fight. 


	8. Ruthless Plan

Title: Heart's Ransom 

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

To my reviewers: Hubby's b-day no time to reply to all of you , but know I LOVED each and every review, they make me smile!

Chapter 7

The night had worn on and on, Alex's fever spiking higher and higher as the fire blazed before them.

"She is burning up; give me some water at least!" Walker yelled at Roger Culliver.

Walker was given a glass of water, and he held Alex up to let her sip it little by little to keep from choking. She had woken during the night, and the pain was keeping her from falling back to sleep.

"Why don't you try to get some sleep; you need the rest, Alex," he said soothingly, all the while stroking her hair.

"I feel like I have been asleep for days; besides, I want to gaze at you for awhile, cowboy. Your smile makes me feel like I am a million miles away."

Walker ignored the snort from the kitchen table and just smiled down at Alex. This was the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. He didn't know why he had been fighting his feelings for so long, for he knew now he could not live without her.

Alex wanted to sit up but the pain was unbearable when she moved. More than anything she wanted a shower, or a nice warm bath, even though she felt if she got any hotter she would pass out. The fever had caused her to sweat profusely and, in turn, had her clothes clinging to her. Walker had offered his own shirt to her, but Alex had refused, saying he needed it to keep warm.

Walker knew Alex was growing weaker as her face had taken on a ghostly paleness. He closed his eyes and prayed that CD or Trivette would find him. What he didn't know was that Trivette and CD were getting closer and closer

The next morning...

Walker rolled over next to Alex, his neck throbbing along with his head. Walker was hungry, more than he had been in a long time, and it was causing him to be nauseated. His stomach growling only confirmed what he already knew -- he needed something to eat, or he would be no help to Alex at all.

Alex, on the other hand, had not asked for any food. Walker knew she must be hungry; she hadn't eaten in days. He wondered how long the poison lasted, or if he would have to watch her slowly starve to death. The night before he had seen Culliver twirling a vial in his hands, a vial Walker was sure held the antidote. Walker knew Culliver would rather destroy it than save Alex, but Walker knew Culliver knew what Alex was given, and if a dolt like Culliver could get the solution, then so could he.

"Well, rise and shine," Culliver said, nudging Walker with the tip of his boot.

"We are all going for a little ride. Tie him up, Chuck."

Chuck tied Walker's hands behind his back and then led both Walker and the stumbling Alex out the door. They were both shoved forcefully into the bed of the pickup, and Walker wondered what Culliver had planned. He didn't have long to wonder, as Roger Culliver came around the side of the truck and stared at Alex and himself.

"I am sorry to say that I will miss Ms. Cahill's demise. See, it seems that my friend from town radioed me and said you had a couple people out looking you. Now, I can't be found with you, so we are just taking you high up on the mountain and dropping you off."

"You can't do that! We will freeze to death!" Walker yelled.

"See, that is where you are wrong, ranger. I can do that, and since you are in no condition to put up much of a fight, I can say I win. Game over."

"You are a cold-blooded murderer! You'll pay for this, Culliver, one way or another. You won't get away with this."

"Talk is cheap, Walker, and we are wasting time," Culliver sneered as he got into the truck and started it up.

Culliver drove for over three hours, taking it slow as the mountain roads were covered in snow. He finally pulled over near a set of trees and went to let the tailgate down. What he found made him laugh. Walker and Alex were huddled together both shivering from the below freezing temps outside, and the winds. Culliver cared little for their plight and snatched Alex buy her foot, dragging her to the end of the truck.

"Such a shame, darling, we didn't get to know one another better. You know I could have loved you more than Walker, but since you refused me, you can die with your ranger friend."

Alex couldn't say anything through her chattering teeth. She could only watch as Walker was pulled out of the truck too. Culliver stood Walker next to him and pulled out his gun. A scream from Alex echoed off the surrounding moutains, but Culliver just laughed.

"Honey, I could have killed him anytime. I want the pleasure of knowing he died a slow death. A gunshot to the head would be too easy, too quick. No, I think your fate shall be to freeze to death on this mountain. Side by side, if you will. See, with you I am killing both witnesses and getting rid of the evidence. I am sure some wild animal will drag you off come nightfall."

Walker glared at Culliver and even lunged for him, despite the ropes binding his hands, but the sound of the gun going off made him stop dead in his tracks. The bullet only grazed his leg, but it felt like someone had burned him with a hot poker. Pulling up his pants' leg, he could see it was only a severe scratch, but it still bled freely.

"Now, as I said, Walker, I could have loved your lovely Ms. Cahill. See, I tried to convince her to leave you, to come with a real man like me, but she seems loyal to you, almost like a dog would be to its master. I couldn't let that go unpunished, now could I? She had her chance and blew it; now you can die together," and with that Roger and Chuck got back into the Dodge Ram and drove away, leaving Walker and Alex in the ankle deep snow without hope of finding their way back before they froze to death.


	9. Snowy Night

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Reviewers

becky: O.o errr sorry it is work, and kids taking all my time

Trinitytheshedevil: thankies wench!

Person of this world: These ideas, are from my evil mind of course LOL.

anolly: O.o thankies for the plot

tigerlily: Culliver, one word evil! and yes that is an idea

Space-Case7029: thanks! and yes you never know, lol

van-fastlane-lover: the things I could do, mwhahahaha

Twinkle386: won't end just yet, and I have another started

Your reviews make my day of course!

Chapter 9

Walker wrapped the blanket he managed to snag out of the back of the Dodge Ram around Alex and started to walk, following the tire tracks. Culliver thought him stupid and yet, in his insanity, forgot Walker could indeed find his way back. Walker's only problem was Alex. If he left her here and went after Culliver, she would freeze to death and die, and if he took her along then she would slow him up. Walker knew there was no other option; of course he would take her along, but it would be a slow pace. He was not at his best, and Alex, he feared, was slipping away from him. Trudging onward, he half carried half dragged her along.

"Walker, I can walk."

"Alex, you are weak and the poison circulates through your body that much more as you move. It is best if you let me help you."

Walker knew Alex was stubborn, almost to the point he had never spoken to her again after the hearing that day so long ago. Now he found her independence and stubborness to be one of the traits he loved best about her. Looking up, Walker realized they could not have gone more than a few hundred yards and already his head was spinning. Stooping over, he grabbed a handful of the snow and put it in his mouth. That would fight off the dehydration, now if he could only find food.

Walker and Alex walked for over three miles by Walker's guess, and it had taken them an extremely long time.

"At this rate we will never reach the cabin," Walker said in frustration. He didn't know Alex was paying attention, and the hurt tone of her voice made his heart crumble.

"Walker, please leave me here. You can move faster without me," she said, but the moan of pain that fell from her lips brought Walker to a halt.

Walker laid Alex down in the snow, fumbling with her shirt, his fingers numbed by the cold. After checking her pulse and heartbeat, he sighed in relief. It was racing, but at least it was beating. He knew Culliver had driven for many miles in the truck and that they would not make it back to the cabin before nightfall.

"Alex, I have to leave you here for a couple minutes so I can find us shelter for the night."

Alex nodded her head, her eyes closed in exhaustion. Walker hated to leave her, but they would freeze to death without shelter; in the back of his mind, he knew they could freeze to death even with it. Clearing the snow away from her, he wrapped the blanket underneath her chin and kissed her lightly on her lips.

"I love you Alex," he said before walking away.

Walker walked back towards the cabin. He knew there was a clubhouse he and his uncle Ray had built years ago when he was a child. One of the walls was gone and the other three had cracks in them, but it was shelter.

His legs numb from the cold and his stomach growling and cramping from lack of food and water made Walker's trek to the small building painful. He knew he had suffered worse. He wanted revenge. He wanted Culliver's head, and that hatred for the man drove him on. His sights soon fell on the old clubhouse and he walked over to it.

The inside was just as he remebered, littered with sticks half carved into with various things. His Uncle Ray had been teaching him how to use his knife, and Walker never had the heart to throw any of the things away. The inside was also covered in the four inches of snow. Using a tree limb he had broken off, Walker went to work clearing the dirt floor of snow.

After more than twenty minutes a small section of the floor was free from snow. It was still wet, so Walker went back outside and broke off a few more branches and threw them on the floor to cover it. The leaves would dry quicker than the dirt. Once he was finished with that, Walker found the remnants of the fallen wall. The boards were rotting, having laid in the forest for so long, but they still held together. Walker lifted the wall and propped it against the side of the clubhouse. He packed and weaved branches to fill as many holes as he could and then stood back.

It was a crude structure, one that could blow down easily with a strong gust of wind, but it was all they had. Walker left and went back to get Alex, knowing he had already left her too long.

Alex was cold, not cold like the time she and Walker had gone on the fishing trip and she had fallen in, but colder than she had ever been before. Her teeth were chattering so hard she thought they would break, and yet she could not stop them. Her hands and feet were numb to the touch, and her head felt as if someone were using it for a battering ram. She coughed, and it sent spasms of pain through her body. Her ribs protested with each intake of air, and all she wanted to do was sleep.

She wondered where Walker was and when he was coming back. She thought Walker was too good for her. She had never told him that, but her insecurities always came to light at times like these. He was a strong man, with a nice house and a good job. What could she offer him?

So many thoughts ran through Alex's mind, but the one thought that was at the forefront was that she loved Walker. As she sat there thinking, her breathing started to slow. Alex Cahill was dying, the poison taking away her life, her zeal, her happiness. Slowly she closed her eyes and saw Walker. She was at peace and a smile came easily as she drifted off.

Walker trudged back through the ankle deep snow. He was grateful at least it had stopped coming down, for then the shelter would not have to be cleared again tonight; his arms and legs were too tired. He spotted Alex just where he had left her huddled against the tree, wrapped in the blanket. As he neared her, he noticed a smile across her face and one of his rare smiles came across his.

"Alex, wake up, I found us shelter for the night," he said, nudging her gently, but Alex did not stir.

"Alex?"

Walker nudged her a bit more firmly, but she lay there limply. He checked her pulse and found it to be slow, almost as if it were slowing down to come to a stop. His heart racing, he grabbed her up in his arms and took off running, his fatigue forgotten.

The trek, which had been tedious before, was now a race to find the clubhouse. His sense honed in on the task, his legs pumping up and down with the added weight of Alex across his shoulders. The clubhouse came within sight and Walker headed for it. He laid Alex down on the snow and moved the wall. Placing her inside, he went back and propped the wall up.

"Alex," he called to her, hoping to hear her reply back.

He got nothing and his heart leapt into his throat. Checking her pulse again, he found it barely beating; her breaths were slowing down.

"Aex! Don't you dare leave me now. Come on, Alex, fight," he yelled.

Alex's lips were turning blue, not from lack of air, but from the cold, her face as pale as the snow outside. Walker's insides were churning; he thought he would be sick at the mere thought of losing the one woman whom he loved, trusted with his innermost thoughts.

Going over to the corner, he found two of the carvings he had made. One held the name of his father; one, of his mother. Walker had made statues of them when he was only thirteen. His uncle had suggested it after he had honed his skills. Walker never showed them to anyone, aways keeping them to himself. He grabbed the two statues up and began rubbing them together. They were damp, but the determination of Walker was hell bent.

His heart sighed with relief ten minutes later when the statues began to smolder. Quickly tossing on the nearby pine straw, Walker hoped it would catch. He knew the pine straw was damp, but he held to hope. When the small flames caught, his heart sighed. Placing more straw on the fire, he began throwing other carvings on the pile. He regretted nothing, not if it would save Alex.

"Alex," he called to her. "Can you hear me? Please, open your eyes."

Alex shuddered in his arms, but she opened her eyes a slit. "Walker, so cold," she whispered.

"I know Alex, I know, just hang in there for me."

Alex did not want to hang in there. The pull of her dreams with Walker standing on the side of the lake were too tempting, but she could hear him speaking to her. When she looked she could see his lips moving, but she heard no sound coming out. She smiled at the wrinkles of worry etched in his brow. Walker always had been a worry wart, despite the calm demeanor he portrayed in front of everyone else. Alex closed her eyes and gave into the dream, and Walker, seeing her breathing slow to a stop, panicked.

"Alex!" he screamed, it echoing throughout the forest. Placing Alex down on the ground, he checked, and his fears were true. Alex was no longer breathing, and tears welled in his eyes. How much more abuse could her body take? Choking back tears, he began chest compressions, until he heard her gasp in the fitful breath. It was only after relief flooded through him at the sound of her breathing again did Walker notice the welts. They were everywhere, the size of a man's belt -- Culliver's belt. They were raw, and in many spots dried blood littered the open wounds.

Again Walker's heart clinched, but this time it was hatred that caused it. Hate was an evil thing, but hate Roger Culliver he did. He knew should he lay his eyes on the man again one of them would not come out of it alive. Hearing Alex scream out in pain made Walker realize he was squeezing her too tight. He wondered how much longer she had.

When he thought of her, he imagined picnics out at the ranch, her walking down the aisle to him, their children playing in the fields surrounding the ranch. He could not give up hope, but hope seemed futile. He had never told Alex the depth of his love for her, how he watched her while she ate, enjoying her pinky being held up when she drank coffee, how she smiled at his jokes, and her laugh that made his heart almost burst from love. If they got out of this alive he would fall to his knees and tell her everything; no more games, no more hiding his feelings, he would tell her just how much he loved her, which was more than life itself.

Roger and his brother, Chuck Culliver, laughed and joked about Walker.

"He will freeze to death out there. The animals of the forest should take care of the rest."

Both men laughed and carried on the entire trip back to the cabin. Neither notcied Trivette's car coming up the other road. They would laugh now, but they would not be laughing for long. 


	10. I Would Do Anything

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Reviewers

Arica, Princess of Rivendell: I did! enjoy

Twinkle386: LOL I am glad you like the angst!

Trinitytheshedevil: yes he burned them, sniff

Space-Case 7029: They will get there, but will it be too late for Alex...

van-fastlane-lover: The fight scene is short between those two but another is too come.

becky: Hope you enjoy the chapter

danhyde girl: suspense you got to love it.

Thank you! Your reviews bring a smile to my face.

Chapter 10

Walker sat with Alex for what seemed like a long time. The fire would keep them somewhat warm, even with wind howling in through the cracks trying to kill their small flicker of heat. What worried Walker most was that Alex had stopped shivering, almost as if she had accepted her fate.

"Walker," she whispered. "What is that in your hand?"

Walker was silent for a moment, twirling the last statue between his fingers. He recalled making it -- a statue of him and his parents. It was the last, and he hated that the others were already gone, but peering into the depths of Alex's blue eyes made the decision easier.

"It is something I carved as a child. A statue of me and my parents."

Alex's eyes grew wide. "All all the others? Were those statues you had carved as well?"

Walker didn't answer her; he just threw the last statue on the fire as a new gust of wind blew through the small building. Alex started to cry, and Walker pulled her as close to him as he dared without furthering her injuries. "Don't cry Alex. I did what I had to do. You are the most important thing to me; I know that now."

Alex continued to cry until no more tears would come. "Walker, you gave them up for me, but I am afraid it was in vain. Walker, I can't hold on much longer; I'm too cold."

Walker was getting sweaty from sitting so close to the flames, but when he looked at Alex, sure enough, he could see that her lips were still a slight shade of blue and that she was shivering, despite the heat. Knowing they would not last the night, he made a decision to try to make it back to the cabin, carrying her, if need be.

Hoisting Alex to her feet, Walker placed an arm around her waist. Alex cried out as his arm made contact with the welts, but she bit down on her lip to stop the screams. Walker held her up while pushing the door open. He only looked back once, and then he saw a howl of the wind putting out the fire he had made. It was a solemn sight; his statues had gone in an instant, his memories gone with the flames.

Trudging up the hill, he now had one thought. He would get Alex back safely to the cabin, or he would die trying. As the wind howled around him, he thought either one was possible.

CD and Trivette were inching closer and closer to the cabin both had gone to last summer with Walker and Alex. That time had been fun -- a picnic, the fishing when Trivette had fallen out of the boat -- but now the small road leading to the cabin was treacherous, causing the tires of the car to skid every few seconds.

"Can't you hurry this car along? Alex and Walker could be up there, trapped with that son of a ..."

"No, I can't hurry it along. The tires are skidding now, I forgot to bring chains."

"I'm sorry, Jimmy; it's just I am worried."

"Well, stop worrying, I can see the cabin, and Walker's truck is parked outside."

Trivette parked his car two hundred yards away from the cabin, and he and CD got out. They trudged up the path leading to the cabin and peered inside one of the windows.

"I don't see Cordell or Alex, only those two varmints."

"You're right, CD. I didn't see either of them in the bedroom either."

"Well, come on then, what are we waiting for. I'm going in to get some answers."

CD walked right up to the door and banged on it, while Trivette stood just behind it

"Who the hell could that be?" Chuck Culliver said, getting up to answer it.

"Probably some damn hunter lost in the storm. Get rid of them."

Chuck Culliver opened the door, then went flying back into the room as CD's punch landed squarely on his jaw. So much for the subtle approach, Trivette thought as he jumped from behind the door just as Roger Culliver pulled his rifle.

Chuck got back to his feet and got in the next punch. It landed across CD's face, sending him backwards, stunned for a second, but only a second. CD flung around and delivered another blow to Chuck's stomach and Culliver went down again, the alcohol slowing his reactions. Trivette, however, was having a far harder time.

Roger Culliver was furious. The blow from Trivette had snapped his neck to the side, but he turned to face him again with a snarl on his face. "Come on, boy, you can do better than that."

This angered Trivette to no end, and the punch to his jaw hurt. He recovered quickly and began punching. The rain of blows from him did not stop. Over and over he hit Roger Culliver until the man staggered back.

"No one calls me boy," Trivette said, grabbing him from behind and placing him in the sleeper hold Walker had shown him. Soon Roger Culliver stopped struggling and sank to the floor, limp as a wet noodle. Trivette helped CD tie up both of them and then he threw cold water on Roger Culliver.

"Now that I have your attention, where are Walker and Alex?"

Roger Culliver snorted, "They should be dead about now."

"If you have hurt one hair on his head, or Alex's, you will not walk out of this cabin, do you hear me?" CD said, spittle flying from his mouth. Long ago he had come to think of them as family, and he would kill these men if they had harmed his family.

"Look, old man, I didn't kill them, I just left them to die."

Trivette's blood boiled. "What do you mean? I am tired of these games," he said, his hand grabbing Roger Culliver by the throat. "Tell me now what you did to them!"

Culliver began choking, his eyes bulging as he struggled to catch a breath beneath the grasp of Trivette. It was only CD's hand that saved him.

"Jimmy, he can't tell us if you kill him."

Trivette released his grip on Culliver and waited while he sucked in a few breaths.

"I left them out in the woods, about ten miles out. They are probably already dead by now, if not the wolves have dragged them off. Your Ms. Cahill wasn't doing so well anyway, so I am sure by now she is dead, even if Walker isn't. I hope she suffered, I hope.." but that was all Roger Culliver got out as Trivette's blow killed off whatever else he had to say.

"Good, Lord Jimmy, it must be ten degrees outside. We have got to find them."

"I'll go look for them, you keep an eye on these two," Trivette said, walking over to the door.

"You be careful and bring those two back here," CD said, his voice cracking in worry.

Trivette took off down the path, hoping he was not too late, hoping he could find Walker and Alex before he or they froze to death.

Walker knew they had only walked about three miles, but his feet were so cold in his boots they hurt. Each step now was agonizing, as it felt like a thousand pins sticking him at the same time, and yet he still trudged on.

Alex had pleaded with him to leave her and go on without her, but he had refused her pleas. Her breathing was now coming in short uneven breaths again, and everytime he stumbled in the snow, the jolt to her injuries made her cry out.

Walker himself would be colder but the warmth of Alex's raging fevered body fought off some of the chill. She was shivering again, which he hoped was a good thing, but Culliver had said it would only be fourty eight hours before she would die, and that would be tomorrow afternoon, he thought. Walker himself fought off dehydration by eating hand fulls of snow. He was still hungry, but at least he could go on. Alex, on the other hand, had not eaten in days. The little water he got in her was not going to be enough; he knew this.

The scream from Alex as he stumbled yet again sent shivers through him. It was not like the others; it was a scream that sent every fiber of his being running to help. 

"Alex?" he called to her as he laid her down on the ground, but she only lay there gasping for breath, not answering him. "Alex! he said more forcefully, and her eyes opened, but they showed the pain she felt.

"Walker, I can't go on. Please, leave me here; it is your only chance. Know that I love you, but I do not wish for you to die out here because of me."

Walker choked back the bile in his throat and smiled down at Alex. He knew she was telling him the truth -- that they both could very well die before he ever got them back to the cabin -- but he didn't tell her that. "Don't you know by now, Alex, that I cannot live without you. We will make it."

Walker went to hoist Alex up again when he looked down at his shirt and found it marred with blood, not his blood, Alex's. As gently as he could, he lifted her shirt and saw the welts had begun to bleed from the constant rubbing up against him. Now he knew why she had gasped with each step. He hated that he was hurting her. He loathed it, in fact, but he had to try to make it to the cabin, or they would both die as Alex said. Hoisting her up, he cradled her in his arms this time, holding her as far away from him as he dared, and started trudging up the hill again.

Trivette had been walking for over an hour now, the cold gnawing at him. He was freezing and could no longer feel his fingers, even in his gloves. His parka did little to fight off the chill of the winds, but he still walked on, his determination to find Walker and Alex driving him.

"Walker! Alex!" he yelled, hoping they would answer, but the only call was the wind. He knew if he was cold Walker and Alex were probably freezing to death. He couldn't imagine that, not if he wanted to remain sane. Walker had trusted him, befriended him when he joined the Texas Rangers, and Alex had become his sister -- the one he never had. To know that they were out here made him angry, very angry, and thoughts of killing Culliver slowly drifted into his mind.

Trivette shook off his thoughts and continued to call out to Walker and Alex. Two more miles he trudged through the snow, until his eyes fell on something off in the distance. He pulled his gun, thinking it could be a wild animal feasting on its prey, but when he got a bit closer he could see it was Walker, and he was leaming over Alex, who was on the ground.

"Walker!" Trivette screamed out, running now towards the pair, but when he got there, he saw Walker staring back at him with tears in his eyes. Cordell Walker did not cry; as a matter of fact ,Trivette had never seen him even tear up. When he looked down at Alex, he could see the reason for the tears.

"Trivette, she isn't breathing," Walker said, leaning over Alex, again pumping her chest, trying to blow a breath of life into her. When Walker heard Trivette call out to them it was like a miracle, but the sweet sound of being found ended abruptly when he heard the gasp from Alex and she stopped breathing.

Trivette began the breathing, while Walker did compressions. He heard the sickening crunch of a rib breaking and flinched. The sound of the bone breaking was not what made him flinch, it was the sound of desperation in Walker's voice as he called out to Alex, the tears that ran down his face, unheeded. To see Walker like this was something new, and it did not sit well with Trivette. Walker never worried, never showed fear, so Trivette knew that Alex was dying.

Both of them worked for over two minutes, until the sound of Alex drawing in a breath and the scream from it brought both of them up from their task.

"Come on, I will carry her," Trivette said, helping Walker to his feet.

Walker did not want to release his grip on Alex and fought to keep a grip on her.

"Walker, let me do this. We can move faster if I carry her; you are exhausted. You both need help. Please, Walker, trust me."

Walker let go of Alex and handed her to Trivette. Truth was he did trust him, but he was afraid if he let go, Alex would be gone. Trivette cradled Alex's body in his arms and took off back towards the cabin. He stopped after only a few feet to see if Walker was going to keep up. He noticed the blood on Walker's shirt and wondered if he was injured, but then he had looked down and seen it was also on Alex's shirt. He had no time to check, for if they stayed any longer, none of them would make it back to the cabin. Trivette was amazed as Walker stumbled to his feet and then righted himself. He walked with vigor towards Trivette and soon passed him, motioning for Trivette to follow.

Trivette shook hs head. Even beaten, bruised, and cold, Walker was amazing. His strength had suprised Trivette time after time, and today would be no exception. Trivette followed Walker, catching up to him in a couple minutes, but at the haggard breathing of Alex both sped up their pace. It was a race against time now, one that Walker was determined to win. 


	11. Made it Back

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Shann51: thanks!

Trinitytheshedevil: Walker in tears is goooood!

Person of this World: Alex die hmmmm, and thankies!

becky: I have updated!

Space-Case7029: thank you! hope you enjoy it

Twinkle386: Is so glad you like it!

Arica, Princess of Rivendell: LOL! updated

danhyde girl: yes they have been found

van-fastlane-lover: more fighting to come

HopeGrace- MLH: thankies!

Stephykatz: welcome to the fic!

Thank you all, now on with the fic!

Chapter 11

CD paced the floor back and forth. Trivette had been gone way too long. He could hear the wind howling outside the cabin,and wondered if he should try to go out and look for them. One look at the Culliver brothers told him he would have to delay that plan.

"You know if that little lady is hurt, you will pay in more ways than one."

"You mean if she lives through the night old man, not if she is hurt," Culliver sneered

Chuck Culliver snickered at his brother's comment. "They'll never make it back alive, and even if they do, she ain't got much time, anyway."

A backhand by CD wiped the smug look from his face, but it did not erase the sinking feeling in CD's gut that he would not like the condition Walker and Alex came back in. His grip on his thirty eight tightened and his pacing resumed.

Trivette and Walker trudged through the now six inches of snow. It rarely snowed this deep, even in the remote place the cabin was in. Trivette rolled his eyes; it seemed fate had decided to be cruel, as it felt like the temperature was dropping even further. The howling winds killed any speech between Walker and himself. The only sound they heard was the occasional coyote off in the distance. Trivette wanted to sit down, and he was about to suggest a rest when he heard Walker's shout over the howl of the wind.

"It is just up ahead!"

Trivette sighed in relief. He adjusted Alex in his arms, but inside he could not get rid of the lump of fear that was growing. Alex did not open her eyes, even after pleading with her to do so. She just lay there, limp, and yet her face showed pain. Trivette hurried his pace and caught up with Walker as they passed the Dodge Ram. Walker did not stop; he walked straight toward the front door, motioning for Trivette to follow.

CD turned as the front door came flying open and Walker stepped inside, followed by Trivette carrying Alex.

Walker caught sight of Culliver tied up, and his eyes flickered with malice. He did not speak, nor did he give off any indication of his inten before he wrapped his hands around Roger Culliver's throat.

"What did you do! Tell me what you did to her!" he screamed, his hands cutting off any reply Culliver could have given.

"Cordell! Stop it! You are gonna kill him!" CD yelled, trying to pry Walker's fingers from Culliver's throat. It was all too easy, for Walker seemed to lose all the fight in him and sank to the floor, exhaustion taking over.

"Jimmy, I'll watch these two, you take Alex in there and lay her down on the bed, and see if you can get Cordell to go with you."

Trivette carried Alex over to the bedroom, kicking the door open as he went in, and laid her down carefully. Walker swept past him and sat down on the edge of the bed. Alex was unconscious again, but at least she was breathing, albeit in short gasps.

Now that they were in the light of the bedroom, the extent of her injuries was clearly visible -- the sweat drenched brow, the black and blue tinge of her face.

"Good Lord, what happened to her?" CD said, standing just inside the doorway.

Walker didn't answer; he lifted the bottom of Alex's shirt and everyone gasped. Alex's abdomen was covered in welts, They were crisscrossed across her stomach and many had been rubbed to the point that they were bleeding, but the thing that worried Walker the most was the large bruise at the base of her navel -- the size of a boot, Roger Culliver's boot, no doubt. Walker carefully covered Alex with the sheet from the bed and walked back out of the room.

Riger Culliver sneered at the sight of Cordell Walker. He laughed as Walker came nearer, but the smug look on his face did not end there.

"What did you do to her. Tell me what you did and what this poison is and I will not kill you." Walker demanded.

"So I see you need a favor from me, but am I willing to oblige you?"

Walker grabbed Culliver by his hair, snatching out a huge chuck of it as he did.

"Fine, no sense in doing all that, just remember you asked to know," Culliver said with a smirk.

"See, your lovely lady there only had to cooperate, but she was unwillingly to give me any of her affection. I gave her flowers, even cooked her a nice steak dinner, but still she denied any love for me. Well now, that didn't sit well with me, and she had to be punished. I whipped her like the brazen whore she is. True, she fought back, but that was in vain." The look in Walker's eyes sent shivers down Trivette's back, but he was too busy holding CD back from Culliver to do anything else. "See, I even stole a kiss from your lovely girlfriend, but she spat in my face. Now see, I couldn't let that slide, so I tried to get what I wanted. See this gash here? Your Ms. Cahill did that; tried to gouge my eyes out, the little bitch, so I held her down and poured the poison in her. She didn't fight long after that."

"Did you touch her?" Walker screamed.

"No, not that I didn't try, mind you, but she fought me tooth and nail till the poison kicked in, and then you showed up. She does have a nice set of legs, though."

"What kind of poison was it?" CD screamed, spittle flying from his mouth.

"Now see, that is my little secret. I can't give them all away, now can I, or what will have to guarantee you won't kill me outright."

All three men were furious; all three wanted to wipe the smug look off Culliver's face, but it was the sight of Alex staggering into the room and collapsing that brought the whole room to a standstill. 


	12. What a Man will Do

Title: Heart's Ransom 

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Person of this World: Hope this chapter does not disappoint, oh and never said she didn't drink any water, only that she couldn't eat, kinda left it hanging there I suppose.

Shann51: your update!

Arica Princess of Rivendell: I did!

danhyde girl: sooner than 6 days O.o

Space-Case7029: thankies!

Twinkle386: love, will keep you going even when you are down. perhaps, and thanks for the reviews

becky: O.o update faster? ok but you have to raise my three kids, clean my house, and work my job, only then can I update faster.

HopeGrace-MLH: Thankies, your update awaits

Thank you for the reviews, now on with the fic!

Chapter 12

Walker was the first at Alex's side, pulling her up from the floor and checking her over for any new injuries. After he accessed that there were none, he placed her gently on the couch. His eyes were gleaming, not with tears this time, with anger, and it was directed towards Roger Culliver.

"Untie him, Trivette," Walker said, the look on his face giving no room for an argument.

"Walker, do you think it is wise?"

"You untie him or I will, but one way or another it will happen."

Trivette saw Walker's eyes and then the nod from CD, who was inching his way over to the couch next to Alex. When he looked down, he could see Walker's concern. Alex did not look well, not well at all. She was sweating, even though there was a chill in the room, her face was ashen, and the occasioanl whimper all but sealed it. CD Parker had never known Alex to ever admit she was sick. Sometimes he swore she was as bad as Cordell was about it.

As CD went to turn he heard, rather than saw, a stinging slap land across Roger Culliver's face.

"Get up!" Walker demanded from Culliver, who was now on the floor, his lip split open.

Culliver did stand and took a swing at Walker. Even in his current state, Walker avoided the clumsy move and again slapped Culliver down to the floor, further splitting his lip.

"Look here, ranger, you can hit me all you want, I am still not giving you the antidote," Culliver said, wiping the blood from his lip on his sleeve.

Walker drew back his hand again and even Trivette flinched as, not his open hand, but his fist made contact with Culliver's jaw. Roger Culliver went flying backwards several feet.

"Cordell, why don't we just leave him to the police and courts?"

Walker turned to look at CD, but the older man noticed his eyes were glazed with something he had not seen in many a year, not since Ellen had been killed: unadulterated fury.

"The roads are impassable by car, even a truck. It would take them coming out here in a helicopter now. There is no reception out here for a phone, and we will have to hike down to the ranger station, which is about three miles the other way."

Trivette was leery, but as he looked down at his phone, sure enough, there was no reception. They were stuck here. He didn't want to see Walker do something he would regret later.

"Walker, if you kill him, you will regret it later," he said, hoping to stop Walker as he punched Culliver again, and the man spit out yet another tooth.

"I won't regret it, just like he didn't regret hurting Alex."

Culliver stood, but only just before Walker's roundhouse sent him to the floor again. All in the room heard the distinct crack of his ribs as he hit the wall behind him. Culliver got up and rushed towards Walker, but Walker was ready. He grabbed Culliver by the arm, and flung him across the table, sending the food from earlier everywhere and Culliver to the floor.

Culliver was now swaying as he stood, but Walker did not care. He walked over and pulled Culliver up by the hair till the man stood.

"What did you give Alex?"

Culliver did not answer; it was no longer an act of defiance, but that he could not due to his head reeling from the constant blows being rained down on him by Walker.

"Tell me!" Walker demanded, his hands tightly wrapped around Culliver's neck.

Trivette almost felt sorry for the man. Culliver was bruised, beaten, and wheezing as he breathed. Walker had broken several of his ribs with those spinning back kicks he was so fond of.

"Walker stop!" he screamed, as Walker's grip around Culliver neck had the man turning purple.

Walker did not stop, until Chuck Culliver started screaming.

"Leave him alone! I will tell you the antidote, just don't kill him," he sobbed, and Walker let Chuck Culliver drop to the the floor at his feet.

Chuck Culliver told them the antidote, and told them they had less than twelve hours before Alex would be dead. Walker knew she had been surving on what little water he could shove into her, as food was not an option. She looked to have lost a few pounds from it just in the few days she had been captive.

"Tie him up, Trivette."

Trivette did as he was asked, very leery of Walker's current state of mind, but as Walker leaned over to pick up Alex, he collapsed from sheer exhaustion on top of her, his hand lying across her chest.

"Hurry up, Jimmy, we have to get these two down to the ranger station."

"What about us?" Chuck Culliver asked, trying to wriggle free from the ropes binding him.

"We'll send the law up after you when we get down. You're lucky Cordell didn't kill you right off," but no sooner he had spoken the words, than Walker stood up from the couch. He walked out of the cabin, followed by Trivette carrying Alex wrapped in a blanket. CD followed them, but all stopped when the screams started.

"Walker! I should have killed you when I had the chance. Walker, get back here! We'll die if you leave us tied up!"

Walker kept walking, until he heard Alex whimper. He stopped to make sure Alex was all right, wiping the sweat from her brow and covering her back up in the blanket, before placing a kiss gently across her lips.

"Walker, I know you can hear me," Culliver continued to yell. "Your Ms. Cahill was quite the treat, I want you to know. It was a pleasure to have her in my bed."

Walker stopped dead in his tracks and turned around, his eyes a haze of fury.

"Cordell, you know he is just spouting off nonsense, Cordell!" CD yelled as Walker took his thirty eight from his hip and started walking back into the house.

"Oh Lord, he is gonna kill that fella, and I can't honestly say as I blame him." CD said, shifting around to stop Walker.

Trivette was already a step ahead, grabbing Walker by the arm as he walked in holding the gun aimed at Roger Culliver.

"See, you can't kill me, Walker, even your friend knows I have a right to due process. I just thought you should know that your Ms. Cahill fought bravely everytime I tried to get near here."

"I'd shut up if I were you, Culliver," Trivette said, trying to pry the gun from Walker's hand.

Culliver didn't, however, his stupidity growing, along with some new found courage. "What, and not inform the Ranger here of how I ran my hand over her thigh, of how when I tried to run it up her leg she spat in my face. See, Ranger, there is no part of your lady friend there my hands have not been all over."

Walker flinched and then turned as he heard the bang of the gun and saw Roger Culliver slump dead in the chair, but he had not fired; it had been Trivette.

"He shouldn't have said that," was all Trivette said before he walked out the door.

Walker was speechless, and the danger of Culliver was now gone. His mission now was to get Alex some help; he would discuss this further with Trivette later, now did not seem the right time. He ignored the screams of Chuck Culliver, as he walked away; all his thoughts were on Alex.


	13. The Ranger Station

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: This is my first W/A fic so be nice.

Person of this World: I have updated!

anabuhnahnuh: Thanks! glad you enjoy it!

becky: yes, busy life I lead, hope you enjoy the update!

danhyde girl: Yes, I thought Trivette should shoot him instead.

Arica princess of Rivendell: Thankies!

Ana: YAY! I like suspense

Stephykatz: thanks! here it is

Space-Case 7029: yes they are all very overprotective of Alex

A/N: Hope you enjoy this chapter, because I am going on vacation and will not be updating for over a week, as I will only have a laptop. I will however be updating as soon as I get back.

Chapter 13

They had been walking for what seemed like hours, but in reality was only just over one hour. It was the snow drifts they had to stumble through that made the trip down the mountain so tedious; that and the added weight of carrying Alex and catching Walker as he stumbled.

"How much further?" CD wheezed, his age showing as he huffed and puffed, trudging along even though all he wished to do was sit down.

"I can see the Ranger Station just down below, maybe another twenty minutes or so," Trivette said as he readjusted his grip on Alex.

Walker did not stop, not even for a moment to catch his breath. He just kept stumbling along, the coldness having numbed all the pain in his legs during the previous hour.

The trio of men carried on, though the wind was howling nonstop and the temperature was dropping by the hour. Trivette and CD were tired, but neither of them were suffering as much as the other two. Walker refused any help, preferring to walk alongside Alex and have steady contact with her. It was his vigil watch that noticed the chattering of her teeth and, over the sound of the wind, a small moan escape her lips.

"Stop!" he yelled over the howling wind.

"Walker, if we stop again we won't make it before dawn. We have to keep going!"

Walker knew Trivette was right, but his love for Alex was over-powering his senses. He tried to grab her from Trivette's arms, his paranoia taking over, but Trivette held on.

"Walker, stop! What are you doing?

Walker fought Trivette, his grip becoming firmer. Alex screamed out and went limp as he tugged on her arm again.

"Cordell, stop, you are hurting her!" CD yelled, trying to intervene, but when Alex screamed, Walker's legs seemed to crumble and he sagged to the ground.

"Come on, Cordell, we are too close to give up now," CD said, pulling him back to his feet.

Walker wiped away his tears and pushed himself from CD. The next twenty minutes were the longest of his life, each step sending sharp pains through his lungs. No sight was more beautiful than the Ranger Station when they found the path leading to the door. It was CD who knocked, and then the door was opened to them all.

"What in the world... Come in, come in. You must be frozen damn near to death," the ranger said, ushering them all into the room.

The room was bright and filled with the warmth given off by a fire in the corner of the room. There was a small kitchen and a bedroom off to the side. It was small but sturdy and here they didn't feel the bite of the wind outside.

Trivette wasted no time and laid Alex down on the couch by the fire, unwrapping her from the snow sodden blankets. She was cold to the touch, but her brow was beaded in sweat. Her breathing was shallow, wheezing almost, and her skin was the color of the snow they had just come in from.

Walker sat beside her, whispering words of comfort to her, while Trivette called the hospital in Dallas, asking them to send a helicopter out to them and giving them all the information he knew about her condition. After he gave them the name of the poison, the clang of the phone dropping echoed around the room. Trivette picked it up quickly and muttered a quick, "Please hurry," and hung up.

"What did they say?" CD asked, gratefully sipping the cup of coffee he had been offered.

Trivette grew silent, choosing his words carefully and then staring straight at Walker, who was leaning over Alex.

"He said if we don't get her there in the next three hours, he doesn't know if there is any hope for saving her."

The somber mood of the room increased tenfold, but it was the silent muttering of the Indian prayer Walker was speaking that made them all shudder. It was as if he was asking the God's themselves to come and save what he considered the most precious gift in the world: Alex. 


	14. The Game of Waiting

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: This is my first W/A fic so be nice.

Shann51: Thankies!

becky: Just got back from vacation, here you go

Person of this World: yep, walker is out of his element a wee bit

Twinkle386: his brother yet lives yes, mwhahahaha

Trinitytheshedevil: SNORT, walker angst is always good

Space-Case7029: thanks, and you never know, lol

anabuhnahnuh: yes, a Wam is going to be there, and thanks!

Thanks to all who waited till I got back from vacation for the update! Now on with the fic!

Chapter 14

For over an hour, the mood was somber in the Ranger Station. Trivette and CD were sitting at the table, after not being able to persuade Walker to leave Alex's side to get some rest. Even after he collapsed and they had taken him to bed, he had woken minutes later to resume his vigil over her. Now he sat stroking the loose strands of hair on her forehead, speaking soft words of comfort in her ears. His own body screamed for rest, begged for release into the world of sleep so that it could heal, but he would not leave her.

James Trivette was known for keeping a cool head, in order to fight off numerous men alongside his partner, but now the tears streamed from his chestnut eyes, falling onto the table. Trivette raised his head, "I can't lose either of them, Big Dog. If the helicopter doesn't get here in time, Alex.."

"You stop thinking like that. Alex will be just fine. She's a strong girl and she will make it through this," CD offered.

Trivette swiped away the latest tear, "How can you sit there and tell me she will be fine? You heard them just as I did. She is going to die, CD!"

CD cowered against the onslaught of rage coming from the distraught man, "Look, Cordell has enough worry for the both of us. If he sees we have given up hope, then he might just do the same."

Trivette nodded his head; he didn't want Walker to give up hope, it seemed it was the only thing keeping him on his feet.

"Alex, can you hear me?" Walker said softly as he ran his fingers through the sweat soaked golden locks of her hair.

The only way he knew she was listening was the nod of her head, as opening her eyes sent the bright lights of the room pounding into her head.

"You have to live, Counselor. Uncle Ray would never forgive me if you didn't. I haven't told you yet but he went out and bought a suit for the wedding. He hasn't worn a suit since my parents were married, so it really is quite an honor. I want to see him in that suit Alex. I want to see him as I pledge myself to you for the rest of my life. Please, Alex, please hang in there."

Alex tried to speak, but Walker placed his finger over her lips, silencing her. "You just rest, Alex, no need to tell me now."

Walker placed a gentle kiss on her lips and pulled the covers up. Alex shivered, even though the room was boiling hot from the fire. The sweat that bathed her features glistened in the flicker of the flames, and yet the chatterinng of her teeth keep them all informed that her fever was climbing higher and higher. Her lips were parched and the need for liquid to cool it overpowered her enough to open her eyes and ask for water.

Walker's eyes filled with rage and sympathy. How could he deny her water? She was begging him, pleading for just one drop. His resolution caved and he raised the glass to her lips, allowing just a couple of drops to slide past her lips. He sat back and sighed in relief when she made no sound to inform him it had harmed her. His assurance however was not long lived when the coughing started and droplets of blood oozed from her pale lips.

CD and Trivette jumped to their feet, moving swiftly to Walker's and Alex's side.

"What is wrong Cordell?"

"I gave her water... I know I shouldn't have, but she was pleading CD," Walker hung his head.

Alex began to cough and more blood spilled forth from her, but that was not what worried them the most; it was that her eyes opened. The blue crystals of her eyes had melted his heart so many times over. They had brought a smile to his face countless times, lifted his spirits after a trying day of work, and even brought him laughter. Now they were staring straight at him, and again he felt the love he always felt just from a mere glance from them, and then the blue eyes he loved rolled back in Alex's head, showing only the whites of her eyes before they closed.

Alex!" he screamed, shaking her arm.

The slight twitch of her body told him convulsions were starting, and he could do nothing to stop them. Walker couldn't move, couldn't think straight. Here Alex was hurting and again he had caused it. Why had he given her the water? Why had he allowed himself to? He knew the answer, because she had asked for it and he could refuse her nothing. The first sign of the convulsions were nothing compared to the writhing figure on the couch now. It was his finance, his whole being for living, and now she was again shrouded in the world of pain.

"I can't take it anymore!" he screamed up to the ceiling.

"Walker, get ahold of yourself, Alex needs you," Trivette yelled as he sat down on the floor, trying to keep Alex from hurting herself further by the thrashing about.

Walker shook his head, trying to steel his emotions, but they could not be tied down, not now. With tears trickling from his eyes, he watched as Alex's whole body shuddered with each new wave of convulsions. The ugly black bruises on her abdomen stared back at him, the blood spilling again and again from her mouth each time CD wiped it away. Was this to be the end of Alex, was he to watch her die in a Ranger's Station out in the middle of nowhere? Then his ears caught yet another sound, the whirl of the helicopter blades approaching. Was it too late, would they get her there in time?

Picking up the broken and battered body of Alex, Walker walked out the door to meet the copter, holding her tightly as her body started to shut down. 


	15. Don't take the Girl

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: This is my first W/A fic so be nice.

Stareagle: The willpower is a wonderous thing, and she can eat just not drink. Hmm kill her off or not. thanks for the review

becky: I shall be watching, and thanks!

Anolly: angst rules!

danhyde girl: to live or not to live hmmm

Space-Case7029: vacation was great, and yes it is there

anabuhnahnuh: THANKIES for the review, made my day

Walkerandalex4ever: W/A rules! and thanks:D

Arica Princess of Rivendell: I did!

Stephykatz: thank you, a bit of fluff is good

Person of this World: love your reviews!

Thank you to all, your reviews make me smile, now on with the fic!

Chapter 15

The whirl of the helicopter blades could not deafen the sounds of Alex's erractic breathing. Her body was finally shutting down, the strain of the past days catching up with her, both physically and mentally. She cried out for Walker, even though he held her tight to him the entire time, her delirium rising to new levels. She spoke of their child, of how beautiful she was, and Walker had to look away from her face. How could she speak of the future when she was dying in his arms? It was unfair; it was fate deciding he had waited too long to tell her how he felt.

No sound was more wonderful than the sound of the blades slowing down when they reached the hospital. Walker watched as they lay Alex on a stretcher and started to wheel her away. He was about to follow when CD stopped him.

"Cordell, she is in good hands now. Why don't we let them take a look at her?"

Walker stopped in his tracks, all the grief welling up in him, and he sank to his knees. Within seconds medical people were at his side, placing him on his own gurney and whisking him away.

"Will he be all right?"

"Only if that little lady is, because if she leaves us, then Cordell won't be far behind."

Trivette and CD followed the gurney Walker was now laying on, either unconscious or alseep. Both knew Walker needed to be checked over for injuries, for he was not one to admit when he was hurt or sick.

Two hours later a young doctor came out of the room and approached CD. "Your friend will be fine. He has a few cuts and bruises, and he is suffering from exhaustion, but other than that he should be well enough to leave by tomorrow. We would however like to keep him here overnight for observation. You two might as well go and get yourself a good nights sleep and come back for your friend tomorrow."

"We can't leave yet. How about the lady that came in? How is she doing?"

The doctor grew somber, his features giving away all the illusions of of uncertaintity he was trying to hide. "Your lady friend is not doing so well. The doctors are still trying to stabilize her, but they say it is not going well."

"Will she make it, doctor, that is what we want to know. Don't beat around the bush, come right out and say it," CD pleaded.

"I just don't know..." was all the doctor could tell them.

"What kind of answer is that? Aren't you the doctor here?" Trivette said, growing annoyed and scared.

"Look, her injuries are so many. She has mulitple lacerations to her abdomen and several other areas of her body, she has a head injury, and her body is rejecting any medicines given intravenous or otherwise. I am afraid unless we find some way to help her, she will not make it."

The truth hit both of them hard. CD and Trivette stood for a second letting what the doctor said sink in. There would be no more Alex, no more teasing her about how she gave Walker sweaters, or how she tricked him into wearing the suit for the wedding that turned out to be a date to some uptown premiere.

"Wait!" Trivette yelled, "the Culliver brothers gave her some sort of poison." Trivette quickly told the doctor the name of the poison in hopes that it would mean something to him and in hopes that Alex would be better, but the grave look on his face didn't give either of them much hope.

"The poison you speak of is very new. We only have experimental drugs to combat the poison and I do not know if they will help your friend since the drug has been in her system for so long. If you have a pastor, now would be the time to call him," the doctor said, before leaving them both to go and seek out helping Alex.

"Not very hopeful, is he?" Trivette said, sitting down in a chair in the waiting room.

"Jimmy, better to be aware than have him give us a false sense of security. At least we know what we are in for."

Both of them sat there tired, hungry, and all but falling asleep, until CD stood and stretched his legs.

"Where are you going at this hour?" Trivette asked.

"The only place I know to go for help. I am going to the chapel, Jimmy, and I am going to pray for that little lady."

While Trivette and CD sat in the chapel praying for Alex, Walker stood up from his bed and walked over to where Alex was lying in hers. There were tubes coming out of everywhere to the point Walker was afraid to touch her for fear he would hurt her or pull one of the tubes out. He settled for holding her hand while he sat by her bed.

Laying in front of him was the woman he had pledged his life too. He had bought the ring weeks before, but never could find the right moment to give it to her. Pulling the ring from his pants pocket, Walker picked up her fragile hand and placed the ring on her finger.

"This is so you know how much I love you when you wake up," he told the still form of Alex.

Alex's heart monitor beeped, and Walker smiled. "See, I knew you could hear me."

He sat down in the chair next to her bed. Several doctors and nurses tried to usher him back to bed, but the refusals and threats that he would handcuff himself to her bed finally had them all leaving the room. Now that they were alone again, Walker spoke to Alex.

"You spoke of a child, a girl that you saw. I bet she has your eyes, and I hope she has your hair, and not mine. I want to marry you, Alex. I want to raise many children with you, watch their first steps, and show them the love that I have for you. You know I am no good at all the mushy stuff you like so much, but I would wear a thousand tuxedos and attend a thousand more luncheons if you would just wake up and show me those beautiful blue eyes of yours." 

Walker heard the beep of the heart monitor again, but his own heart began to race when the beeping got faster and faster. Before he knew it, Alex was seizing, her whole body rising off the bed with each intake of breath.

"Alex! It will be all right, just hang in there," Walker pleaded as he rushed to the door and called for the nurse, doctor, anyone who would come. 

Walker was shoved to the corner of the room as doctors and nurses flooded into the room. He watched as Alex's body continued to jerk and twist on the bed, how her fists were clenched into tight balls. He was still in the corner when Trivette and CD ran in.

Both men spotted Walker standing in the corner, his eyes riveted to where they were working on Alex.

"Walker, what happened?"

"I dunno, one minute I was sitting there talking to her and the next she started having problems."

All three watched, and even CD had tears rolling down his face, as the doctors and nurses pulled tubes out and added new ones.

"She looks so helpless laying there," CD said, his words cut off by the alarm on the monitor.

It didn't take long for any of them to notice Alex had stopped thrashing about and now lay still, almost deathlike on the bed. The crash cart was wheeled to the side of the bed and Walker watched as Alex's lifeless body remained just that -- lifeless. It wasn't until the second attempt that he saw her hand had fallen over the side of the bed and on her finger was the ring he had given her. A symbol of his love, his pledge to her forever, its shine fading like the life in Alex.

"No!" he yelled and started towards the bed. Trivette and CD tried to stop him, but he pushed past them both to stand next to the end of the bed while they worked on her. Trivette and CD both loved Alex as one of their own family and they, too, joined Walker by the bed, wanting to be there with her should her life slip away. Prayers were said, tears had fallen, and the jerk of Alex's body each time sent shivers down their spine. Had it all come to this, had they survived the Culliver brothers just to watch Alex die in front of their eyes?

Walker grabbed Alex's hand that had fallen over the side of the bed and held onto it tightly, willing his life force into her, begging the great gods to spare her.

"Charge to three sixty," they heard the doctor say.

"But she has been flatlined for more than a minute doctor," the nurse said, before realizing that Trivette and CD both were staring daggers at her.

One last try was going to determine whether Alex would stay here with him or be whisked away to the other side to join his mother an father. Walker wiped the tears from his face and kissed Alex's hand, then all three watched, hearts clenching as the final jolt of electricity coursed through her body. 


	16. Just one Look

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: This is my first W/A fic so be nice.

Trin: Yes, I am evil, but angst is good

Shann51: yes I did, and I am still pissed

Walkerandalex4ever: hmm read and see lol

danhyde girl: most people do after the movie lol, and thanks!

anabuhnahnuh: I am sure it did fall off sometime, but you will see what I mean

Space-Case7029: Because it is evil, why else, and thanks!

Person of this World: She couldn't eat at one time, and thanks this one is far from over.

Chapter 16

Walker held his breath, forgetting everything in the room but the sound of the heart monitor and its steady flatline. CD and Trivette stood at the end of the bed, neither daring to approach, but both fighting a losing battle with their tears. 

The doctor charged the paddles one last time and placed them on Alex. The room was tense, a feeling of foreboding clinging to everyone. Walker watched Alex's whole body leap up from the bed, but his eyes were riveted to the monitor and he sighed with relief when he saw the first motion of a heartbeat.

"It's not steady, but it is there. She is a long way from out of the woods, but she is holding her own for now." The doctor ushered the nurses out of the room, and Walker took the hand he had been holding and placed a kiss lightly on it.

Trivette and CD crept to the side of the bed, standing just behind Walker.

"Cordell, did you and Alex run off and get hitched without us knowing about it?" Walker shook his head no in reply, but CD went on. "I see an engagement ring, Cordell, and a wedding band, too. If you are not married then what are they there for?"

Walker knew CD was only trying to take his mind off Alex, trying to keep his thoughts anywhere besides the dire condition she was in. "The engagement ring you knew about and saw not three weeks ago, CD; as for the other, it was my mother's. I had it resized for Alex and added the diamond chips in."

"Well ,congradulations, partner," Trivette said, patting Walker on the back. "When is the big day?"

Walker didn't answer right away. "I think as soon as we leave this hospital."

"Cordell, that won't give Alex much time to plan for the wedding."

"I don't need a fancy wedding; we can have that later."

No one said anything else, for the tone of the room changed as Alex stirred in her sleep. Her eyes fluttered open, but she uttered not a word. It was her eyes, her crystal blue eyes that said it all as she peered at Walker. They told him she was still there, still clinging to life, and that was all he needed for now.

"I think Jimmy and I are going to go get cleaned up. Is there anything you need, Cordell?"

Walker shook his head no, and CD and Trivette walked out. Walker pulled the chair up beside the bed, glaring at any nurse who asked him to leave until they gave up and decided he was a permanent fixture in the room. He sat there staring at Alex, checking her for any signs of waking, until at last his own eyes started to droop into the world of dreams. Slowly he drifted off, his eyes losing the battle he was so valiantly putting up, and soon he was asleep.

Hours Later...

Trivette and CD had gone home and changed and were now heading into the hospital room. They had been told that there was no change; Alex was neither better nor worse. CD peered in first and then held his finger to his lips, motioning for Trivette to walk in. Both sat down in the chairs that were left in the room and waited.

"CD, do you think Alex will be the same after all this?" Trivette whispered.

"I dunno, Jimmy. Alex has been through an awful lot. Only time can heal some wounds, that and a lot of friends helping you along the way."

"She'll have that."

As if Alex heard their words her eyes began to flutter, and in a few more seconds she was staring at CD and Trivette, both of whom had gotten up and come to the bed.

"Good to see you back with us, honey," CD said, patting her hand.

Alex smiled, but it was the sudden jerk awake by Walker that sent a chuckle escaping from CD. "Cordell, our little lady here is awake."

Walker smiled at her, but no words came to him, so he uttered the only thing that came to mind. "Welcome back."

Alex went to speak, but Walker placed his hand over her lips. "Rest, you have been through a lot in the past few days."

"Cordell is right, honey. You need to regain your strength."

Alex was suddenly bombarded with doctors and nurses checking her vitals, looking her over and poking and prodding every part of her body. She was tired of being poked, tired of tubes running from her, and tired of the doctors looking places she did not wish to be touched in. Shrinking back from one of them sent Walker to her side in an instant. He shooed them all out, telling them she needed awhile to compose herself.

As soon as they left Walker grabbed a tissue from the side of the bed and handed it to Alex. She wiped away the couple of tears that had rolled down her face, and then turned to face Walker.

"Alex, they are only trying to help you. I know you don't like them, but they are necessary."

Alex's voice was scratching from unuse but her statement hit home. "Walker, you are one to talk. I know you avoid seeking any medical help no matter how bad you are hurt. I have seen you fall down bleeding and still go to work the next day."

"Alex, I just want you to get better, and the doctors can make sure of that."

"Walker, I don't want to be here. I can heal just fine at home. You can even have a nurse come by and check on me."

Walker seemed to think about it for a minute, then, handing Alex her clothes, he turned his head. When he turned back around, Alex had on her jeans and her shirt was hanging over her head, around the IV tubes. He could see only the blond curls peeking over the top.

"I could use a little help here, Walker," she said.

Walker went over to the bed, but he was reluctant to pull out the IV, thinking he would hurt her.

"I can't do it, Walker, you know how much of a wimp I am."

Walker grabbed ahold of the IV and then, as quick as he could, pulled it out. Blood shot out for a second staining the sheets, and then Alex pulled her shirt over her head all the way. Walker looked at her abdomen as she pulled her arms up and another pang of guilt hit him, but Alex's voice brought him from his thoughts.

"I'm ready to go, Walker," Alex said going to stand up, but her body was not quite as ready as she was and Alex fell down.

Walker was to her side in a second, picking her up in his arms. "I believe you need a chariot, My Lady," and with that Walker walked out of the hospital, Alex in his arms as she had been when she came in. 


	17. Home

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: This is my first W/A fic so be nice.

Trin: Yep she is alive, and yes Walker will be crying before the fic is over

becky: thanks!

Person of this World: Alex is quite stubborn, but there are many things in store for her

Stephykatz: Glad you liked it! thanks!

Judy: welcome to the fic, and thank you

danhyde girl: thanks! here is the update

Twinkle386: she hasn't noticed it yet, but she will soon

anabuhnahnuh: you will find out eventually I promise

Walkerandalex4ever: thank you, glad you liked it!

Well here is the next chapter!

Chapter 17

Walker had just gotten Alex settled into the bedroom at the ranch, when the persistent knocking on the door could be ignored no longer. Walker went to open it and found CD and Trivette staring back at him.

"We went to the hospital to check on Alex and they said she left. How the hell could you let her leave?" CD said, barging his way past Walker.

Once they were inside Walker motioned for them to be quiet, and all three settled down on the couch.

"It wasn't me, it was Alex. She refused to stay there. What was I supposed to do let her go home alone?"

"Well, I suppose if she was set against staying there was nothing you could have done about it, but dangit Cordell, that little lady is far from healed up."

Walker knew what CD was saying was true. He didn't have a clue as to help Alex if she really got into trouble.

"Look, I stopped by the pharmacy and picked up all her medicines, and I will take her back if she gets any worse. I just couldn't leave her there. You didn't see the look in her eyes."

Trivette knew what he meant. He an Alex had gone fishing and she had sprained her ankle getting out of the boat. Trivette had wanted to end the trip then and there, but Alex had insisted she was fine, and they had gone on to meet up with Walker and CD at the camp. Alex's ankle had flared up and swollen, but she refused to stop. Trivette knew how stubborn the counselor could be.

"Well, I guess we will be going Cordell. Give Alex our best."

Walker walked both men to the door, and promised they could both come back the next night to check on her. After he closed the door he went to check in on Alex. There she was sleeping, her hands tucked under the pillow, wisps of her blonde hair having fallen over her face.

She looked so peaceful. It was almost as if none of this had ever happened, until you looked at her arms, the cuts, the scratches from fighting off Roger Culliver. Walker glared at the ugly red marks marring her pristine skin. They were reminders that Alex would need him, need him to hold onto when the nightmares would come, and he was sure they would.

Pulling the covers up to her chin, Walker placed a gentle kiss across her lips and then shut the door. He had only walked a couple of steps when he went back to the door and opened it just a bit. His mind at ease he walked over to the couch and kicked his boots off. Walker laid down and his eyes began to droop. He was home, and the comfort of it had him drifting off to sleep in a matter of minutes.

Walker sat up, listening, his ears waiting for what had woke him from his dreams, and then he heard it again.

The scream, the heart wrenching scream, and he was on his feet running to Alex. Walker threw open the door and found Alex sitting up in bed, her face tightened up as another scream fell forth from her lips, her whole body shaking, her brow covered in sweat.

Walker went to the bed and called her name but Alex was still stuck inside her nightmare. Not knowing what else to do he sat down on the side of the bed, taking her hands in his, and started whispering words of comfort to her.

"It's all right Alex. Nothing here can hurt you. I won't let anything happen to you."

The reaction was so fast Walker almost fell from the bed. Alex clung to him as if he would somehow disappear if she let go, her fingers grasping his shirt and winding around the material.

"Alex, it's okay. I' m here," Walker continued to whisper to her.

Finally she began to settle down, her screams now only hiccuping gasps as she tried to catch her breath. Walker laid her back down, smoothing the sweat soaked hair from her brow and turned to leave, but he couldn't. Alex had his shirt still in her grasp.

"Stay with me," she said, her eyes begging him not to leave.

Walker scooted her over on the bed and laid down beside her. Pulling her gently to him, he wrapped his arm around her, and Alex laid her head down on his chest. Walker didn't know if he had done the right thing taking her from the hospital so soon, but one look down at the woman he loved told him there was no mistake. Again he closed his eyes, but this time he knew if Alex needed him he would be by her side. 


	18. Just Practicing

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: This is my first W/A fic so be nice.

Personof thisWorld: I did!

WalkerandAlex4ever: Alex has many trials and things to go through to come

Arica Princess of Rivendell: poof I did

anabuhnahnuh: thank you!

Space-Case7029: thank you, alex has many things yet to face

Trin: Oh but they will happen, ahem

becky: Alex is getting better physically snicker

Twinkle386: thankies!

danhyde girl: Hmmm that is the ultimate question.

Thanks the reviews make my day!

Chapter 18

Walker woke up early the next morning, scooting himself from underneath Alex's grasp he walked into the kitchen to make them both breakfast. It wasn't long before the smell of the eggs and bacon cooking before Alex poked her head out the door.

"Good morning sleepy head. How did you sleep?"

Walker already knew the answer to the question, as Alex had tossed and turned all night long, her nightmares plaguing her sleep, but she did look a little more rested than the day before.

Alex smiled at Walker, her smile giving him a silent thanks for not mentioning the night before. She sat down and Walker placed the bacon and eggs on the table, along with some coffee and juice.

"I thought a small breakfast, just till you get your bearings back."

Walker's words had only just left his mouth when Alex started filling her plate full of food. She piled on the bacon an eggs and even put some in between two slices of toast. When she looked up and saw Walker staring at her, she blushed.

"It's been so long since I have been able to eat, and it all looks and smells so good."

Walker smiled, waving his hand at the food, ushering her to go ahead and dig in, and Alex did. He watched as she didn't seem to be chewing but instead swallowing the bites whole, but the glory of food ended abruptly, when Alex turned and jumped up from the table, hand over her mouth, running to the bathroom.

He jumped up from the table and rushed to the bathroom, just as Alex was coming out, wiping her mouth, a couple of tears escaping her eyes. Walker helped her back over to the table, and sat her down.

"Alex, it has been a long time since you have had a proper meal. Perhaps you should take it a bit slower, maybe just some toast and coffee."

Alex nodded her head and took a piece of toast nibbling on it slowly. She honestly was starving, but did not want a repeat of before.

Once breakfast was over Alex went in the bedroom to take a well deserved shower. Walker had helped her, and after be shooed away, he went to sit down and wait for her. Walker started to get worried when Alex had not come out thirty minutes later and went to the door.

"Alex, you all right in there?"

"I'm fine Walker, just enjoying the last of your hot water."

"Need me to come in and scrub your back for you?" Walker said jokingly.

"You would love that wouldn't you? Think again cowboy. I'll be out in a minute."

Walker couldn't deny he did have thoughts of Alex in that way. He wanted to spend every minute of his time with her, he even thought of her while he was at work. The Texas Rangers had been kind enough to give him leave for a few days and for that he was grateful. He didn't want Alex to be alone right now, not even for a moment. The scare of almost losing her many times he given him a wake up call.

"All done cowboy, but I am afraid so is your hot water for a while," Alex said, emerging from the room dressed in a pair of blue jeans and a shirt.

"That is fine, I showered before you woke. Come on, how about we go for a picnic by the lake."

Alex agreed, and soon both were off walking towards the lake. Alex had asked if they could ride the horses there but Walker had been firm when he refused, saying Alex was not yet healed enough to be galloping off towards the lake.

The lake was as beautiful as Alex remembered. The sun was warm against her skin and soon Alex had taken off the coat that Walker had forced her to wear.

"Alex, put that coat back on," Walker insisted as he pulled a basket from behind the tree.

"It is hot Walker, and just how long have you been up this morning?"

"Hot or not it is still winter time, and you need a coat despite how warm you feel. Now as for how long have I been up, let's just say I have been up long enough."

Alex knew Walker rose most times even before the sun. Many times they had sat on the porch watching the sunrise together before work. Those had been glorious times, ones Alex wished to continue. Sucking in a deep breath she went to sit down on the blanket Walker had put out and ask him the question that had been bothering her since she woke up in the hospital.

"Walker, whose ring is this?" she said pointing to the second ring on her finger.

Walker grew silent, putting down the food he was placing out, and looked deep into her eyes.

"It was my mother's. My father placed it on her finger on their wedding day, just like I will once again place it on yours someday soon."

Alex was stunned. She had expected an answer but not that one. "Oh, Walker, but your mother's ring."

She grabbed Walker and placed a kiss upon his lips. Walker didn't move, he couldn't though his mind tried to make his limbs move away.

"Alex, we shouldn't," he whispered into her hair.

Alex was not paying him any heed. She pulled him down on the blanket, rubbing her hands across the back of his neck as she pulled him closer to her.

Walker wanted to get up and leave. "Alex, but what if I hurt you?" he said nuzzling her neck with his beard.

"I trust you Walker," she said pulling him further down on the blanket.

Walker wanted her more than anything, but this was wrong wasn't it? "Alex, I wanted it be special shouldn't we wait?"

Alex sighed, but gave in to Walker. "That doesn't mean we can't do this," she said pulling him in close again, nibbling his bottom lip. "Besides, what is more special than being out here with you?"

Walker couldn't agree more, and he gave in to the kiss, relishing how soft her lips were. Afterwards he sat there holding Alex as they watched the sun start to go down.

"Alex, I know you wish to now, but I wish to give to you all that I have. You deserve nothing less than that, and that is what you shall have. My father said once that a woman was like a mystery to him. Everytime he thought he had my mother figured out, she would do something to amaze him. You amaze me Alex, you have gone through so much, and yet you remain the beautiful woman I fell in love with so long ago, never change for that is the woman I will walk down the aisle with very soon, that is the woman I will marry."

Alex watched Walker remove the ring from her finger, and gasped as he bent down on one knee.

"Alex Cahill, will you marry me? Will you make me as happy for the rest of my life as I am today?"

Alex's words of yes, were mixed with the tears rolling down her face. "Walker I don't know what to say. That was beautiful."

"I have wanted to do it for a long time now. I knew I was destined to be with you the day our eyes met in that courtroom. You were like a wildfire, one that I wished to tame somewhat without taking away what made you who you are. You have given me what no one else could, love even when I pushed you away, you came back. Even through all my quirks and insecurities you were still there. Now the only answer I want from you is yes."

"Yes, Walker. I will marry you, for I have loved you for so long now."

The two of them gathered up the blankets and started walking back towards the house. Once they got to the steps Walker picked Alex up and opened the door, stepping through and placing her on the floor. At the quizzical look from her he grinned, "Just practicing." 


	19. That is what Love is all about

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: This is my first W/A fic so be nice.

stareagle: thanks for the review, all I can say is I have been there or close and I know the mind will compensate when the body cannot. Ty! for the review! Oh and AU is the best.

WalkerandAlex4ever: O.o lol update!

nicky12330: no idea so err thanks

Trinitytheshedevil: Not yet I;m not LOL

anabuhnahnuh: thankies!

Space-Case7029: yes there will be more angst to come!

PersonWorld: thanks for the review!

Twinkle386: Happiness, yes they have it for now.

becky: glad you are enjoying it!

Stephykatz: thank you!

Arica: I have!

Chapter 19

The next morning Walker left early to go into Ranger Headquarters and get some of paperwork done, leaving Alex home alone by herself. Alex got out of bed and decided she would try to make herself some toast. The getting up part was easy, but trying to manuever around was becoming a chore. The outing the day before had worn her out and the room was spinning. She grabbed onto the back of a kitchen chair until things came back into focus and then preceded to make her breakfast. It only consisted of coffee and toast, but that is all she felt she could handle.

Alex didn't want to waste another minute, so she started preparing for a wedding. Nothing too fancy, just a small ceremony with just their close friends present Taking a seat on the couch she started to make a few phone calls, setting up a caterer and calling around for tuxedos. She hoped Walker would not be upset about it; they had discussed it the night before, and he had told her to go ahead with the plans.

Walker sat at his desk mulling over file after file. The following week would be Roger Culliver's trial. Unlike most trials which took forever to be brought before the judge, his had been expedited due to the circumstances.

He hoped Alex was making some progress on the wedding plans. He avoided making arrangements if he could. He felt he had done his part by asking CD and Trivette to be his Best Men. Alex had been so excited when he told her he was ready. He really couldn't think of anyone else he would rather spend his life with.

Walker sighed. He didn't want to be at work, he wanted to be home making sure Alex was okay, not stuck here. Taking his work files with him, Walker bid everyone a good day and left to head back home.

Alex had gotten a food caterer and had found tuxedos for everyone that would need one, but she hadn't found herself a dress yet. She had called around to several places, but all of them had told her it would be a two week wait, and she and Walker wanted to be married before then.

The date had come about because it would be Christmas Eve and Walker said all he wanted for Christmas was to have Alex in his arms. Alex couldn't think anymore, her head was pounding and her ribs still ached despite the medicine she had been taking. She hadn't told Walker, but she had forgotten where she had put the bottle and for the life of her could not remember. She was tired and achy and thought she would lay down for just a few minutes.

Walker parked the Dodge Ram and walked inside. The house was quiet, but once he got inside he could see why; Alex was curled up on the couch fast asleep. What worried him was that her brow was furrowed as if she were in pain.

He sat down opposite her in the chair. Had he pushed her too hard by taking her out for the picnic? She had always seemed invincible and yet now she looked as fragile as a china doll. He vowed he would watch over her more carefully. Covering her up with a blanket, he went to make dinner. CD and Trivette were coming by with a special gift for Alex, and he hoped she would love it. Walker himself had fought many demons to come to a decision, but in the end, he knew in his heart that Alex was the one who was meant to wear it.

Alex awoke to the smell of steaks cooking. Her mouth watered, knowing Walker made some of the best T-bone steaks in all of Texas. She went into the kitchen and started making a salad. She was happily cutting up the tomatoes when her hands began to shake and the knife slipped slicing the end of her finger a bit. Walker walked in just as she cried out.

"Alex, let me see it." Walker looked at the cut and saw it was neither deep nor bleeding a lot. He left the kitchen and returned seconds later. Picking her finger up, he wrapped a band aid around it and then kissed the tip. "Go and sit down, Alex, and let me do this. You look tired."

Alex didn't want to admit it but she was tired. Thinking it was just the lack of her medication that she still couldn't find, Alex went to have a seat on the couch. She hadn't been sitting there but a minute when the doorbell rang and CD and Trivette walked in.

"How you feeling, honey? You look a might pale," CD said, placing a kiss on the top of her head.

"Just a bit tired is all, " Alex replied. She glanced at a huge box CD was carrying. "CD, what is in the box?"

"Now you will just have to wait till after supper to find out, little lady. Why don't you lie down, you really do look a bit worse for the wear."

Alex glared at CD. "You really know how to stroke a lady's ego, don't you?"

Half an hour later the steaks were ready and CD had finished making the salad that Alex had started. Everyone dug in, and soon they got to watch Trivette and CD fight over who was getting the last of the corn on the cob. Trivette won out, but CD still muttered about men making pigs of themselves. Walker started to clear the plates and Alex began to wash the dishes.

"Oh no you don't, " he exclaimed. "You march yourself right into the living room and sit down. CD was right, you do look a bit pale. Are you sure you are feeling all right?"

Alex assured him she was just tired. No need to worry everyone by telling them she felt far worse than that. She didn't want to ruin the wonderful evening.

After the dishes were done, Walker brought out coffee for everyone, and CD brought the box he had carried in from the closet.

"Now do I get to know what is in the box?" Alex asked.

Walker sat down in front of her, the box resting across his lap. "First I need to tell you something." When he was sure Alex was listening he went on. "Alex, do you remember Ellen?" At the slight nod from Alex, he continued. "She and I were to get married. I thought she was the woman that was meant for me, but she was killed and my dreams were shattered, until I met you"

Alex's eyes were brimming with tears and a few fell down her cheeks. She didn't know what Walker was getting at.

Walker cleared his throat and clasped Alex's hand. "I know you haven't had time to find a dress, and I wanted you to have your mind at ease."

CD stood up, opened the box, and out flowed a beautiful white gown with sequenced pearls along the sides.

"I had this dress made a long time ago when I thought I was going to get married," Walker started, but he couldn't finish.

CD put his hand on Walker's shoulder. "Honey, what he is trying to say is that this dress was made for Ellen, and we wanted to know if you would like to wear it."

Alex thought it over for a moment. At first it struck her as odd, but then she found it to be the opposite. "Walker, I would be honored to wear this dress, for I know it came from you."

Walker's breath hitched in his throat. "I thought you wouldn't want to wear it because of who it was made for."

Alex hugged him. "All that matters is that you could have kept it locked away forever, along with her memory, but this means you have moved past it and found that I am the one you love."

There wan't a dry eye in the house. This was what love was about, this was what every person searched for, a soul mate, someone to complete the other, and Walker and Alex were just that. 


	20. My Little Girl

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: This is my first W/A fic so be nice.

Space-Case7029: yes, alex hides her pain well

Stephykatz: thankies!

Arica: I did!

PersonWorld: She prolly won't, but you never know

walkerlover5011: glad you enjoyed it!

anabuhnahnuh: She is merely not feeling well because of all she has been through and the lack of her meds she can't find.

walkerlovesalex4ever: thank you!

WalkerAndAlex4ever: hehehe thankie

Well here you go till next week which shall be the wedding!

Chapter 20

The rest of the week was spent spricing up the ranch. Walker was never one for decorating much, but it seemed to please Alex so much. He had even went out on the ranch and found a huge tree, and they had decorated it with Alex's ornaments.

Alex has begged Walker to let her go and get him a gift, but he had refused. Alex did not give up though and as she saw Walker come through the door carrying three more budles of gifts she tried once more.

"Walker, won't you let me just go into town to buy a few things?"

"Alex, you still don't look well. Are you sure you don't need to go back to the hospital and have them check you out again?"

"Cordell Walker! our wedding is in two days, you have my dress, we paid the minister, and I will not spend Christmas in a hospital."

Walker held his hands up in resignation, "I give up, but you will not be going out on the town, shopping. I have seen you out shopping, you were gone for hours."

Alex poked out her lip and pouted.

"Pouting, although it makes you look very cute will not work. I won't have you passing out on me at the altar."

"Fine, I will just call someone to pick up the things I need then."

Walker agreed to that, as long as it was someone he trusted, and then he went inside his room to wrap up the things he had bought. Once Alex saw him close the door behind him she went into the kitchen to wash up the dishes from dinner. She had only gotten the sink filled when she felt the room spin, and she took a seat at the table. She swore under her breath, and Walker walked in half way through them.

"Such words coming from such a sweet thing as you. I am shocked!" he exclaimed, hand over his heart in jest.

Alex fidgeted in the chair, tears of frustration just short of falling. Walker noticed and leaned down to be face to face with her.

"What is the matter Alex?"

Alex balled her fists up, and pounded the table.

"I just can't take it anymore! He held us captive, hurt me, and even now I still dream about him, I still feel sick. I won't let him ruin the happiest day of my life Walker I just won't!"

Walker held Alex, till her breathing evened out, and he knew she had calmed down.

"Alex, look at me," he said when she would not look to meet his gaze. "Nothing will ruin our wedding."

"But Walker how do you know. I seem to attract trouble. It seem fate is out to keep us apart, who are we to stop it?"

"Alex, we are destined to be together White Eagle has told me so."

"White Eagle also told you that you were going to have many babies Walker."

Walker arched his eyebrows, "Well, not literally but we could. Trust me, nothing shall stop our wedding, nothing short of the entire prison breaking free. Trivette and CD will be there watching out for us, but I won't let anything stop me from taking your hand and sayd I do to the minister. I have dreamed of the day for so long, that not even fate would dare to touch it."

Alex's eyes misted up again, "Did I mention that I love you?"

"Once or twice," Walker said. "I think it is time you took a little nap."

"I'm not a little girl Walker."

"You're my little girl," Walker said, picking her up in his arms and carrying her off to the couch. "Get some sleep Alex, and then I promise you can call whoever you need to call for your Christmas gifts."

Alex nodded, she wasn't sleepy she thought but no sooner had Walker left out of the room her eyes started to get heavy. Soon she was curled up in a ball fast asleep. This was how Walker found her ten minutes later when he came from the kitchen after finishing up the dishes.

Walking over to the couch, Walker leaned over and covered Alex up, and then sat down opposite her in the chair. He ran his fingers through her golden tresses, and then down the side of her face. This was the woman who had stolen his heart, this was the one who he would be walking down the aisle with in a little over twenty four hours. Walker's stomach did a few flips.

Shaking the nerves off he stared at the Christmas tree, and then back to Alex. She had already brought the holiday back into his house. Walker hadn't put up a tree ever, spending each holiday covering the Ranger headquarters so others could be home with their families, but now he had a family too. Alex would be his family, and along with CD and Trivette he had more than any man could ask for, now if he could only see Alex through all of her pain, his life would be complete. 


	21. The Wedding

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker an Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First W/A fic so be nice.

Chapter 21

Alex and Walker stared into each others eyes as they sat on the porch swing. Alex had drifted off earlier, only to be wakened with a gentle kiss by Walker as he held out the tray full of fruits, and coffee.

She had enjoyed these moments, no work, no visitors, just Walker and her.

"CD will be here in a few minutes to pick me up. Are you sure you will be all right here?" Walker questioned Alex.

"Stop worrying Walker. Sydney is coming over and one of the girls from work. Not too mention I doubt the police car sitting in the driveway all night will have burglars or anyone else wishing to come into the house."

"Just the perks of being a Texas Ranger ma'am," Walker grinned.

"Well, you just make sure he picks you up in time. It is bad luck to see the bride the night before the wedding."

Walker went in to gather his bags up as CD pulled into the driveway. He stepped out from his truck and walked over to speak with Alex.

"So little lady how are you feeling?" CD asked even though he though Alex looked a bit pale.

"Fine, all things considered, and were you able to get them?" Alex asked CD.

"I sure was." CD handed over the small box to Alex and her face lit up.

"I hope he likes it," she said, her face frowning in worry.

"Shucks, after all the trouble you went through to get these I'm sure he will like them."

"Like what?" Walker said, coming out the door, his overnight bag in hand.

"Never you mind what," Alex said, hiding the box behind her back.

"I can wait. However I can't wait another moment for this," Walker said, pulling her into his embrace and kissing her gently across the lips.

Alex watched the truck pull off, and went back inside. She was tired and thought perhaps a nice relaxing bubble bath would ease her aching muscles. She had torn the ranch apart searching for her meds the day before, hoping she could find them and ward off the achy feeling she had. Often she found herself feeling faint, but once she knew she had been overdoing it for the wedding, rushing to make everything just so.

Just as she sunk down in the warm water of the tub the doorbell rang. Alex sighed in frustration, but got out of the tub, wrapping the robe around her and went to open the door.

"Alex, so good to see you!" Sydney said, hanging the dresses in her hand up in the hallway closet. When she came back into the living room it was then she noticed the robe.

"O.o, I guess I came at a bad time. How about you finish your bath and leave dinner to me."

Alex jumped at the chance, and went back to her bubblebath. Once inside the water she felt her body relax. The water soothed all her aching muscles, and it even felt good the many bruises that still remained all along her abdomen. Alex was glad she had chosen a long flowing gown, because she was self conscious about the many scars she was carrying due to the Culliver brothers. She was to testify against Chuck Culliver, that is if he didn't make bail and skip town. Shaking her head, Alex sunk down further into the tub, letting the water ease out the stress in her temples before she lathered the pouf and began to wash.

Coming from the bathroom Alex felt much better and she could smell the scent of chicken coming from the kitchen. When she entered the table was set, and Sydney was placing the last of the food on the table. Alex's mouth fell open in shock.

"Sydney if I eat all that I will never fit into my dress!"

Sydney turned around, "If you don't eat all of it you may blow away with the first strong gust of wind."

Alex forced herself to eat at least half of what was on her plate and then her and Sydney went to get ready for bed.

The next morning was a flurry of shoes and dresses and makeup being flung in bags and packed in the car. Alex was running late, but she knew it was no uncommon for her to be late for her dates with Walker. He had often commented that she would never be on time for a date yet she could wake up at the crack of dawn to be in court.

Once at the church Alex peered over and saw Walker's truck and then she spotted Walker. Ducking down behind the bushes she waited till he had passed into the door and then walked in the other door.

"Alex, why are you hiding in a bush?" Sydney inquired.

"I didn't want to jinx it by having Walker see me. We have fate working against us enough as it is why chance it?"

"Well, he is gone now so hurry up, we have hair to do and makeup and I have to try to figure out which pair of shoes match this dress."

The chapel was not full by any means, only Walker and Trivette were there. CD was coming and Alex's father was supposed to come, but he had been snowed in at the airport in Paris. Alex had been heartbroken, but CD had offered to stand in, and Alex had graciously agreed.

Walker's hands were sweating, and he wiped them on the towel for the third time. He didn't know why he was so nervous, well, other than he was about to take the biggest step he had ever taken in his life.

"Walker, the minister has asked us to come out now, the wedding is about to start."

Walker told Trivette he would be there in just one minute, and he knelt down on his knees there in the small room.

"God, I would like to thank you for bringing Alex to me. Know I will protect her and make her happy."

Standing again Walker walked out as he heard the music start back up keying the beginning of the wedding. There stood Trivette in his tux, and to his side was Gage, seating his Uncle Ray, and couple other people from the reservation. Walker again felt his stomach twist into knots, and hoped he would not throw up. It was then the wedding march began to play and everyone's attention was turned toward the doors at the end of the aisle.

There stood Christine, one of Alex's friends from work in her pale blue gown, her hair just so, and Walker thought she was quite lovely. As Christine made it halfway down the aisle Walker and the others saw Sydney. Her hair was swept up, and the usual tomboyish ranger looked all of the woman she was. Walker noticed Gage's face turn into a big smile and wondered if he would be the next to stand where Walker was now.

All Walker's thoughts ended when the lights dimmed low in the church and at the end of the aisle was CD, and on his arm was the most beautiful woman Walker could ever imagine, Alex.

As she walked down the aisle, he noticed how her hair shined even in the small amount of light, of how her smile lit up his soul, and how he longed for nothing more than to climb to the highest building and shout his love for her. The dress he had chosen so carefully for Ellen, was no longer Ellen's, it was Alex, and it flowed about her as if carried on wings.

CD stepped up to stand beside Walker and gave away Alex, but before he sat down he took her hand in his and placed a kiss upon it. Wiping the tears from his eyes he took his seat, an Alex turned to Walker.

"The minister started to ceremony but it was as if Walker were merely walking through a fog, the only thing in his mind was Alex.

"Do you Cordell, take Alex to be your lawful wedded wife?" the minister asked, and without hesitation Waker blurted out yes.

"And do you Alexandra take Cordell to be your lawful wedded husband?"

"Yes, yes I do," Alex answered.

The minister called for the rings and Alex placed Walker's on his finger, her hands trembling so bad, she almost dropped it, but before Walker placed her ring on the minister called everyone's attention to him.

"Cordell has asked that he could read a poem to Alex before the giving of the ring."

Alex was shocked, and so were all the others, for Cordell Walker was a rugged Texas Ranger and not one thought to sit and write a poem, so everyone waited on pins and needles as he pulled he paper from is pocket. Staring at it he handed the paper to Trivette and instead took Alex's hands in his, staring into her eyes, he recited.

Whatever I say or do.

Know that I love you.

Even if my actions betray me.

I hope in your eyes you can see.

The true love and devotion I have inside.

Only from you can I not hide.

Every scar that mars my soul.

On my body it takes a toll.

Yet I will be fine as long as I have you.

Only you know this is true.

Never have I wanted anything more.

Than to never have to walk out the door.

Will I always be at home here?

Will you still hold me dear?

These things dwell in my mind.

But I know in you the answers I will find.

For you hold them forever in your gaze.

Till the end of time and all the days

There wasn't a dry eye in the church when Walker was done and Alex had tears streaming down her face. The rest of the ceremony went by in a blur and soon it was time for Walker and Alex to be announced.

"May I present to you Mr. and Mrs. Cordell Walker," the minister said.

Alex heard nothing, Walker's poem still going over and over in her head. She didn't say a word the whole ride back to the ranch to get changed so they could go to the reception at CD's.

Once on the porch, lost in her thoughts Alex almost yelled out when Walker picked her up and toted her over the threshold, but when he set her down she wrapped her arms around him and just held him. Here was the man she had loved at first sight, his eyes gazing into hers, his smile that made everything else melt away. Slowly she parted from his grasp and went into the room to change and when she returned she carried the box that CD had brought her the day before. Sitting down on the couch she faced Walker.

"I know we are supposed to wait till our honeymoon to exchange gifts but I can't wait any longer," she said as she handed the box to Walker.

Walker looked at her wondering why the sudden tears in her eyes. When he opened the box he pulled back the tissue paper and saw three little statues carved from wood, but when he turned them over he saw exactly what they were. His words coming out choked.

"Alex, how ... where?"

"They told me about you burning the statues and I couldn't have you give up your only remaining memory of your parents. I sent CD to the reservation to see if your Uncle Ray could have some more made. Do you like them? The one is of your father and the other your mother, but the last is one of you and your parents together, as it should have been."

Walker's eyes brimmed with tears and a couple rolled down his face.

"What did I do to deserve you?"

"You loved me, all that was all I ever needed," Alex whispered back, wiping the tears from his face. "Now come on before CD brings everyone over here looking for us."

"All right Mrs. Walker, but you will have to wait for your gift, until we get to the hotel."

Alex wondered what it was Walker had gotten her, but she forgot about that quickly as Walker picked her up and toted her to the car. She was about as happy as one woman could be. She had the man of her dreams, and a life of nothing but happiness to look forward to. 


	22. Too tired

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 22

Alex and Walker had gone home and packed for their honeymoon but Walker had not said anything about where they were going so Alex had packed everything from her bathing suit to her winter parka. Once her suitcase was loaded down, and she had sat on it to get it to close, she waited for Walker.

Alex didn't know what was taking Walker so long. He never spent more than ten minutes packing and then always said that women take forever, but now he was downstairs talking to CD and Trivette instead of getting his things ready.

Alex was growing impatient, and decided Walker was not going to get ready unless she went down the stairs and told him to hurry. Grabbing her suitcase she went to hoist it up when she felt a jab of pain from trying to lift such a heavy thing. Not giving up Alex tried again an again till she had managed to drag the suitcase all the way to the top of the steps. By this time she had to wipe the sweat from her forehead from straining to lift the heavy thing. She hadn't thought she packed that much, but looking back she didn't honestly know. Now staring down at the bottom of the steps Alex sucked in a breath and heaved the suitcase up again, but this time she lost her grip on it and it went hurtling down the stairs and landed with a huge thud.

Alex stood at the top of the stairs and waited for she knew what was coming and sure enough Walker and the others came racing into the room not but a few seconds later.

"Are you all right?" Walker asked Alex when he saw her suitcase a the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes, I'm fine, but that thing is heavy."

Walker walked up the steps and noticed the sweat along her brow, "Alex, I told you not to overdo it. Go sit down and rest and Trivette will get your bag and put it in the car."

Trivette bowed, "Ranger Trivette at your service Mrs. Walker," Trivette said tipping his hat, as Walker led Alex to the couch to sit down.

Walker was sitting Alex down when Trivette started walking to the truck with Alex's bag.

"What did you pack in here?"

Alex blushed, "Walker wouldn't tell me where we were headed so just a little of everything."

Alex watched Trivette lug her suitcase to the truck and come back in. Walker and the others were being very mysterious, but she was too excited about leaving to try and figure it out.

Six hours later the plane touched down, and Alex awoke from the nap she was taking.

"Are we there already?"

Walker kissed her lightly across her lips. "You've been asleep nearly five hours now."

Alex didn't think she had been that tired either, but lately she felt as if she could not get enough sleep. Alex simply thought it was her body still healing though.

A shower later and Alex felt much more relaxed. She didn't know why Walker had brought her all the way to Arizona, but she was glad for the warm weather. Just the thought of being held captive in that room in the freezing cold gave her chills.

Just as she shuddered again Walker came to step up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close.

"Are you cold Alex?" he asked secretly feeling her brow as he kissed her along her forehead.

"No, just thinking is all," Alex told him, hoping he would not dive deeper into her thoughts.

"You won't have to worry about any of that here, but for my peace of mind please can we have the hotel doctor check you out before we go?"

"Why would I need a doctor to check me out Walker? I am fine, really."

"Alex, I can't keep anything from you can I. We are going to go camping in the middle of nowhere and I would rather know you were healthy enough before we go out. Please Alex, just do it for me."

Alex stared at Walker, his face a look of innocence, but she could see the pleading in his eyes.

"Fine, if it will make you feel better call the doctor, but I am telling you I am fine Walker."

"I know your definition of fine Alex," Walker said, dodging the swat from the pillow.

"Well, your wife seems to be in excellent condition. We drew some blood for a workup as she seems a little bit under the weather but that is to be expected from what I have heard about your escapade on the news. You two really do deserve some peace and quiet."

Walker wrapped his arms around Alex, well the honeymoon started back home, but we plan on finishing it here."

The doctor needed no more urging as he could see Walker and Alex were in need of some time alone.

"How about if I go and make you a bubble bath so you can relax?" Walker asked.

"Only if you join me cowboy," Alex smiled as she walked away, her robe slipping to the floor before she got there.

Walker walked in to find the bubblebath ready and Alex slipping in the water. As she sat down she closed her eyes. She never saw Walker ease out of his own clothes and join her till she felt him scoot her around till she laid against his chest. He first washed her back, and then ran his fingers along her neck. They wouldn't make it to meet their guide on time, but at the moment Walker really didn't care, he was in pure bliss where he was, and he planned on taking the longest bath of his life.

The morning had come and gone, and now Walker an Alex were sitting atop their horses waiting for their guide to lead them to the campsite. They were late an wondered if he perhaps had gotten tired of waiting and left, but just as Walker thought about calling their guide trotted up to them.

"Thought you two were going to be a no-show."

"Sorry, it is our honeymoon and we kind of lost track of time," Alex said, blushing.

The guide did not miss the red face of Alex. "No need to explain, I was a newlywed once about thirty years ago."

Walker an Alex listened to their guide tell them stories about him and his wife all he way out to the campsite. The ride had been so enjoyable that the hours had dwindled away, and it was late afternoon by the time they arrived. The guide helped them to light a fire and tell them in which direction the nearest phone was.

"No need to worry, I have my phone here," Alex replied.

"Why on earth would you bring your phone out here Alex?"

"The doctor said he would call and I wanted him to tell you that I was fine, because I know you will be hovering over me till you hear it from him."

Walker laughed for he knew ALex was telling the truth. He worried about her constantly since the kidnapping. Not a day went by that he didn't think of what happened to her there, and what could have happened had he not found her in time. Shaking those thoughts from his head, he pulled the doubleperson sleepingbag out and laid in on the ground.

"Why the double sleeping bag Walker, because I liked squeezing in the single one with you."

"I figured we may need a bit more room to move around," Walker said, smiling.

Once they had the fire roaring to a bright orange blaze Walker laid back down in the sleeping bag, pulling Alex in with him.

"You never did tell me what my present was Walker," Alex said, kissing him across his neck.

Walker smiled, your first surprise was the trip here. I figured you needed to get away to somewhere nice and warn at that."

"What other surprise is there for this trip is the perfect gift."

"Actually you gave me the perfect gift when you gave me your heart," Walker replied, but CD and Trivette are at home right now transferring my study into a nursery. I could think of nothing I want more than to spend my life with you, and fill our house with children." 


	23. Dirty Secret

Title: Heart's Ransom 

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 23

The late afternoon had turned into night and Walker an Alex sat by the fire nestled into each others arms, enjoying the beautiful starry night.

"You know, this is perfect. I was beginning to think I would never feel warm again, or safe, but I feel safe here in your arms."

"You are always safe with me," Walker replied, brushing a strand of Alex's hair from her face.

Alex sighed with contentment. She felt safe most of the time, but something about the Culliver brothers had made her uneasy, made her feel something she had never felt before, terrified, an unsure that even Walker could help.

"How about I go and get us some of those berries I saw back there by the patch of trees," Alex asked.

Walker didn't want her to go just yet. Grabbing her he kissed her lightly across the lips, bringing a groan from somewhere deep inside her, but when he in his lust pinned her down and started unbuttoning her shirt Alex began to panic.

Walker didn't notice at first until Alex started to cry, tears making her pleas garbled. It was only when he looked into her eyes and saw fear in them that he released her. Alex stood trembling as she did and back away a couple of steps, trying to calm herself.

"Alex?" Walker questioned, walking towards her.

Alex put her hand up to stop him. "I'm sorry Walker, I don't know what came over me, I just ... I saw for a second ..."

Walker then understood, and the rage inside him was building. Had Culliver touched Alex? Had he hurt her in that way? He didn't know the answer to that, but he knew the look on his face could only serve to frighten Alex even more.

"Alex, I won't hurt you, you know that right?"

"Of course I do Walker, it's just I kept seeing his face for a moment and it scared me."

Walker walked over to where Alex stood, reaching for her slowly, he pulled her into his arms until her body stopped trembling. After a few minutes she calmed down and now leaned into his embrace, welcoming the protectiveness it seemed to give.

"I'm going to go get those berries," Alex said, unraveling herself from underneath his arms.

Walker instantly grew worried. "Don't go far Alex, and stay within shouting range. I don't want to lose you since I just got you alone," he said.

"What makes you think you will ever lose me," Alex answered, but deep inside she felt a small pang of guilt that wouldn't go away. One that kept telling her she should remember something. Taking a small bowl she went to gather the berries, maybe some time alone would help her to reveal what her mind was blocking out.

Alex's bowl was full of the wild berries, she had even eaten a few of them on the way back to the campsite. She was feeling a bit better and was feeling a bit down about hurting Walker's feelings on their honeymoon, but something was eating at her, something that wouldn't go away. She tried to ignore the feeling, desperate to just enjoy her time with her new husband. Just as she was making it back to the campsite she heard the phone ring. Knowing Walker would answer it Alex felt no need to hurry.

"No, I'm sorry Alex isn't here right this minute, this is her husband can I help you?" Walker answered the phone.

"Ahh, Mr. Walker I have great news it seems your wife is pregnant the doctor said on the other line."

"She's pregnant!" Walker yelled aloud, not able to contain his joy. He hung up with the doctor after promising to bring Alex in for her first prenatal exam when they got back. He was ecstatic. They were going to have their first child, and in his mind Walker was already making plans to spoil him or her.

Alex had been ready to just sit and be held in Walker's arms when she heard the phone ring. She had thought it would be the doctor telling him she was all right but instead Walker had blurted out she was pregnant. Alex was worried immediately for some reason, but shrugged it off thinking she was just exaggerating. Taking the berries she walked back over to where Walker was standing.

"Here are the berries," she said, but Walker grabbed her and twirled her around causing her to drop the bowl in her hands.

"We are going to have a baby!" he said, a smile big enough to light up the world on his face.

He an Alex sat by the fire talking about the nursery that CD and Trivette were setting up while they were gone.

"What color are they painting it Walker?"

"If I know CD it will be painted green, but Trivette wanted to paint it pink, so by the time we get home I expect to find a multicolored room to be honest. Alex why don't you get some sleep, you look exhausted."

"It has been a long day," she admitted.

Alex laid down and felt secure when Walker wrapped his arms tightly around her. It wasn't till she began to dream that Alex found out the secret that her mind was keeping from her.

"Get away!" Alex moaned, as she watched Culliver come at her in her dream. She had tried to fight him, tried her best to get him off her but he had been too strong. Alex had felt dirty, violated and she had locked the ugly episode deep into her subconscious. Culliver had touched her, made he unworthy of anyone else. Alex couldn't face Walker, couldn't get his hopes up. What if this child was the product of Roger Culliver, what if she had his child instead of Walker's growing inside her.

Feeling her stomach start to heave Alex rolled quietly away from Walker and walked over to the bushes. She was glad for once that Walker was sleeping soundly for she did not want to face him. Over and over she gagged, her stomach heaving up nothing but bile, until she felt like there was nothing left in her. She stared back at Walker, sleeping peacefully, the same happy smile plastered on his face as it had been since learning the news. How could she disappoint him? How could she tell him Roger Culliver took from her what should have been his, she couldn't?

Grabbing one of the backpacks Alex took off in the opposite direction of the campsite. She couldn't go back, couldn't face them all now.

Walker awoke a few hours later, the right side of him where Alex had been sleeping feeling very cold. He looked about the campsite but didn't see her and hoped she had not wandered off very far. Hoping she had only gone to the restroom he stoked the fire to keep the chill off and waited. It was then he noticed the missing backpack, and when he glanced to the remaining one found the note. Grabbing he he walked back over to the campfire to read it.

_Walker,_

_I have not told you something, and it could ruin everything we have worked so hard to achieve. I can't stay here so I am leaving. Give my love to CD and Trivette and do not worry about me. I am sorry it happened, know that I never wanted it to._

_Love Alex_

Walker stared blankly from the note to the empty countryside around him. Alex was gone, and he had no idea in which direction she went. Grabbing his boots he started off in the directions of the trees, hoping he would find her before anything happened to her. He had only just found out he was going to be a father, and he was just learning how wonderful it was to have her as his wife, and now it seemed his whole world had come crashing down on him. Grabbing his gun from the other backpack he ventured out to find Alex. He did not care what the secret was, all he knew is he would love her regardless.


	24. Cruel Fate

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 24

Alex kept running until she could no longer breathe without gasping, until there was a dull throbbing pain in her side and her legs felt as if they would collapse beneath her. She had only wanted to love Walker forever, and now there was the chance that she was not carrying his child, but Culliver's. She felt dirty, abused both mentally and physically, and it made her sick to her stomach.

As she looked around she realized she didn't know where she was, nor did she know how long she had been running. What she did know was that Walker would be looking for her, and she did not want to face him. She could just see the disappointment in his eyes, the sadness that she had been tainted by another. True, it had not been by choice, but that fact was hidden behind the fact that she would have Culliver's child.

Walker had retraced his steps back to the truck to see if Alex had perhaps run there, but he found the truck still there. Glad she had not taken off in their only means of leaving this place, he grabbed the first aid kit out of the back and headed back towards their campsite. He wanted to find Alex and shake some sense into her. They had known each other for years and years, starting out as friends and then becoming more.

Walker found himself running, his fear taking control over his legs. He was worried, and the more time that he thought about it the more worried he became. Alex was pregnant and out in the countryside alone, at night. She could be hurt, or she could run into any number of things, and it scared him to know he could possibly find her in any manner other than safe.

Walker passed back by the campsite and then headed off towards the trees again. He had to find Alex, he just had too. He had watched her linger between life and death; he had cried more in those weeks than he ever had before in his life, and now thinking of her lost out there made tears well up in his eyes again. Walker swiped at them with the back of his hand. He had been trained in the martial arts to never show fear, emotion, and had made himself a name and reputation with the Rangers, so why did Alex bring him to tears? Simple, he loved her more than his own life.

Once Alex felt up to moving again she started off toward what looked like a hill. She stared up at it and wondered what was on the other side, but she knew she would find out eventually. She grabbed onto a rock and pulled herself up and then, when she got a good foothold, reached for something to grab to pull herself up again. Alex grabbed a branch and began to pull on it, but the branch gave way, coming loose from the soil it was in, and sent Alex tumbling back down the small hill.

Alex landed with a thump, her ankle turning sharply to the left as it landed beneath her. The pain was instantaneous. Alex yelled out despite herself and grabbed her ankle. It wasn't broken that she knew of, but when she tried to put her full weight on it, her knees buckled and she ended up on the ground again.

Try as she might, Alex could not bear weight on her ankle and finally gave up exhausted. She was cold. Never would she think that her honeymoon would end this way, and the more she thought about how cruel fate was the more the tears poured from her eyes. Why did Culliver have to do that to her? Why did bad things always seem to happen to her?

Pulling herself into a ball, Alex shivered. She could no longer feel her fingers for they had gone numb an hour ago when she was running. Her stomach felt as if it wanted to heave its contents, and even the slightest sound nearby made Alex think that she would be attacked by some wild creature any minute. Little did she know that a group of wolves was nearby.

Walker kept going north, not really knowing if it was the right way, but something was pulling him in that direction. Trivette would call it his Cherokee thing, but Walker laughed when he did that. What drove Walker now was a sense of fear that Alex would spend the night out in the cold. He wanted to kill Culliver, but Trivette had beaten him to it. He wanted to stare the man in the eyes as the life drained from him for what he did to Alex. The visions of her scars still haunted is mind.

Walker was about to head west when he heard the scream. Alex... he thought. All rational thought faded as a number of things filtered through his head as to what would make her scream. Making sure the first aid kit was still in his backpack, Walker ran faster than he ever had toward that scream.

Alex wanted to scream again, the pain from her ankle throbbing every time she made the slightest movement. Her stomach had given up the futile attempt at holding anything in, and she had heaved all of her dinner beside her. The smell was so pungent that Alex had tried to crawl away from it and that was when she had screamed for the second time.

Alex did not hear the wolves approach. Three of them circled her now, trying to determine if she was a threat before they attacked, and Alex was backing up, realizing she had nowhere to go. She had no weapons, no way to defend herself from the attack. The head of the three wolves walked toward her, teeth shown before jumping on her. Alex screamed as its teeth sunk into her arm as she used her good foot to kick at it, pounding on it with her fist.

The other two sat poised ready to jump when they fell dead. Two shots were fired from Walker's gun, but he was afraid to fire the last shot, afraid of hitting Alex. Knowing there was nothing else to do he grabbed the wolf by the throat and yanked it off, shooting it when it landed a couple of feet away, but when he turned back to Alex, she too was laying on the ground, eyes closed.

" Alex!" he yelled and ran to her. 


	25. Much needed Answers

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 25

Walker was at Alex's side in seconds, reaching for her now bleeding arm, and checking for a pulse. Once he found one he sighed in relief but he knew there was no time to waste. The three wolves were dead, but soon enough the rest of the pack would be there and he didn't have enough ammunition to kill them all.

Walker leaned over and picked Alex's still body up, careful of her arm. He noticed she had was sweaty, and he cradled her to him. Thoughts of the unborn child inside her entered his mind, causing him to hurry his pace up even more.

He made it back to their campsite and laid Alex down on the sleeping bag. His legs were aching from carrying her back that far, but his mind was whirling because she had not woken up yet. Walker was now pacing back and forth. Should he go for help and leave her there bundled up or should he try and make it to the truck?

Grabbing up Alex, he made up his mind. He would not take any chances with her life or the life of possibly his unborn child.

Twenty minutes later his legs burned, but he kept going. Alex had started to shiver in his arms the shredded shirt she had on not providing enough warmth. Walker cursed himself for not grabbing his coat or hers, but he knew his mind was busy with other thoughts like how fast he could drive to the nearest doctor.

Alex stirred, her head pounding and her arm seemed as if it were on fire. She did not recall going to sleep, as a matter of fact the last thing she remembered were the wolves ready to attack. Just coming out of her thoughts she screamed, and tried to wrestle free from the grasp that had her, seeing the wolves in her mind.

"Alex! it's me, you are safe," Walker said, trying to soothe the now hysterical Alex, but when Alex's eyes opened and saw Walker she began to cry. Her face was scratched, her big blue eyes wide as the tears cascaded down her face, but she said nothing.

Walker finally made it to the Dodge Ram, and not a moment to soon as his legs felt like jelly. He carefully placed Alex in and seat-belted her in, again careful to lay her arm over the top of it. Walker ran around the other side and jumped in, sitting a moment to catch his breath before he slammed the truck into gear, throwing rocks as he sped off towards the nearest town.

Walker tried to get Alex to speak to him, but she turned to face the other way. Walker was getting frustrated, his nerves on edge and before he could catch himself he spoke.

"Alex, I don't care who's the baby's father. I will raise him or her as if it is ours!" he yelled.

Walker regretted yelling, but he couldn't take the silence any longer. He knew Alex was hurting both physically and mentally and he wanted her to talk to him. He watched her shudder in her seat, and wondered is she was in too much pain, but she soon turned towards him, tears running in torrents from her eyes.

"How can you say that? How can you say that you are not disgusted that another man has touched me?"

Walker was floored by her question, and almost swerved off the road. He slowed down some and then turned to answer her.

"Yes, I admit that knowing Culliver touched you makes me sick, but not the way you think."

"Then what way? Are you saying you are not sick at the thought of ever touching me again?"

Walker pulled over off the road, for he knew he would never be able to pay attention to both the road an Alex.

Walker's own eyes held pools of unshed tears, but looking at the woman he loved, hurt, and in tears, they began to fall.

"I could never think that about you. I am sick because I was not the one who killed him. Trivette ended his life, but it should have been me for what he did to you."

Alex cried even harder then, "I wanted our first child to be one made from us. A child born of our love not from some sick twisted man. How can I look the baby in the face, how can I love it like I would our own?"

Walker grabbed Alex's hand and wiped away the tears that spilt from her eyes, "you will love it regardless because that is the kind of person I know you to be, one who is giving and caring."

Walker didn't say anything else as he started the truck back up. He didn't mention it to Alex but her paleness was scaring him, and he wanted to get her to a doctor as soon as possible.

The needle on the speedometer read ninety as Walker entered the town, his foot pressed firmly on the gas pedal. He didn't slow down till he saw the signs for the hospital at the next intersection, and then pulled his foot back the truck almost heaving in relief. He turned in carefully at the emergency room entrance and parked, dashing out of the car he ran to get a wheelchair for Alex. She had tried to get out of the truck herself but the dizziness overtook her and she fell back into the seat.

Alex was rushed into a room and Walker was told to wait outside while they stitched up her arm and cleaned the wound. Walker didn't want to wait outside, he wanted to be by Alex's side, and he ended up pacing in front of the triage doors. He didn't wait long before a nurse came out and got him claiming Alex wanted him to come in.

Walker would have laughed had the situation not been so critical. Alex was sitting on the bed, tears streaming down her face, which was grimacing.

"She claimed she wouldn't let us do a thing till we let you back here and her arm really needs to be sewn back together.

Walker sat down in the chair they provided him, and held Alex's other hand as they worked on her arm. She yelped in pain often and he would squeeze her hand in reassurance. Once her arm was sewn back up Alex looked at in disgust. The nurse came over and tried to give Alex a few painkillers an Alex refused them. The nurse did not know why, but as the doctor was walking into the room she didn't question it.

"Well, I must say you are one lucky lady, but I have to ask what kind of animal attacked you and we have to find out if it had rabies."

Walker stood up an introduced himself. "I killed the animal and it was a wolf. I will go and radio the park ranger and have him go out and get the body for testing. I won't be but a moment."

Walker was true to his word and came back in just as Alex was refusing the medication from the doctor again.

"We don't have your bloodwork back but, you have spoken to me you are not allergic to penicillin and it is vital to stave off infection."

Alex was crying again, but I am pregnant!" she wailed, burying her head in the pillow on the bed.

"How far along are you?"

Alex lifted her head and stared at the doctor. "I don't know. My doctor called me and told me, but I didn't think to find out."

"Easily solved. We will get a sonogram in here and find out just how far along you are little lady."

When the doctor returned he found Walker consoling a now shaking Alex.

"If you will just lie back we can find out for you in a matter of minutes."

Alex was reluctant, she didn't want to know that Culliver's child was inside her for then it would make it all the more real, but she laid down.

Walker an Alex watched as the doctor took measurement after measurement. He hadn't spoken to them yet, an Alex was beginning to feel very nauseous.

"I think I am going to be sick," she announced, and the doctor handed her a basin not a moment too soon. Alex retched till she felt like her ribs were on fire, before she laid back down.

"Well, we are all done here, and your baby seems perfectly healthy despite your run in. I would however suggest you take it easy for a few days, and rest up, and have those stitches removed in seven to ten days."

Walker knew there was a burning question on Alex's mind and his also if he was being honest with himself.

"Doctor, how far along is my wife?"

The doctor turned before he walked out the door. "She is about four weeks along I would say. Plenty of time to shop of baby things," he said before exiting out the door and closing it behind him.

Walker turned to Alex and could see she had the same look on her face. What he was not expecting was when Alex threw herself into his arms, her injured arm be damned.

"Walker, do you know what this means?"

Walker smiled and picked Alex up in his arms, "if I remember my math it means that I am going to be a father."

Alex and Walker both were overjoyed, and sat in the room holding each other. It was Walker who pulled away first, staring into the depths of Alex's eyes.

"I was wrong your present was not the best I have ever gotten."

Alex wrinkled her eyebrows in wonder, before Walker finally gave in.

"The best gift in the world is the child growing inside you now, our child. That is the best gift you have ever given me, a small piece of you."

Walker helped Alex up from the bed and wrapped his arms around her the steady her. "Come on, let's go home and tell CD and Trivette the good news."

"That is the best idea I have heard all day," Alex said. 


	26. One More Peaceful Night

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 26

Walker an Alex rode through the town, stopping only to get Alex something to eat which she only ate a bite or two from, claiming she wasn't really that hungry. Walker had insisted she try to eat more, as she was eating for two now, but Alex told him all she wanted to do was get some sleep.

Within minutes Walker could see Alex was indeed asleep, and he covered her with his jacket. The ride was filled with him thinking of their life and how it would change when the baby came. He wondered if he would be a good father, if he would be attentive enough. He didn't want to miss out on the important things, like the first steps or the first words, an often his job kept him away.

It was then he saw Alex stir in her sleep and she turned toward him, curled up in a ball. Walker could see that she was uncomfortable, and in a bit of pain despite the bandages. He wanted to take away all her pain, but knew he couldn't.

Walker took his right hand from the steering wheel and laid it across Alex protectively. He never wanted anyone to hurt her again.

It was hours later when they finally made it back into Dallas. Walker was exhausted from driving all day, an Alex looked a little worse for the wear. He knew he should have called ahead and warned CD and Trivette about what had happened but he didn't want to stop, and calling on the phone seemed impersonal. He would just let them know when they arrived, and that would be in just a few minutes. He thought of waking Alex up, but she was finally sleeping peacefully it seemed and he didn't have the heart to.

Walker pulled up to the ranch around eight and walked around to Alex's side. She was sleeping so peacefully she didn't even wake when he picked her up, nor when he toted her to the door. CD was at the door when he got to it, but Walker motioned for him to be quiet.

Walker walked into their bedroom and laid Alex down on the bed, removing her shoes and tucking her under the covers. Once he was satisfied that she was all right he walked back into the den, to the two waiting anxiously to find out what had gone wrong.

It only took Walker a little more than an hour to explain everything that had gone on. CD and Trivette both had remained silent, up until the part where Walker had told them both that Alex was pregnant.

"What do you mean?" Trivette said, his eyebrows going so high they almost reached his hairline.

CD smacked him in the back of the head, "It generally means they are going to have a baby. Do I really need to have that talk with you?"

"No, I just meant, they have only been married a little over three weeks. I mean that it is so fast, I mean ..." Trivette stuttered.

"I suggest you stop before you completely choke on your foot." CD said.

"Yes, the baby is mine, and yes you will both be uncles, and before you can even ask, no we don't know the sex yet. Alex has been through so much lately, and this pregnancy is bound to wear her out. I don't want anything else upsetting her."

At this statement CD and Trivette both paled.

"What?" Walker asked, not really wanting to know the answer.

"Cordell, I don't really know how to tell you, but the district attorney's office called while you two were gone. They are going to start the prosecution on Chuck Culliver this month."

Walker face grew pale at first and then red with anger. "Hasn't he caused us enough grief!"

"I know how you feel partner, but if we don't testify then he will get out in a few years, and I don't want him to ever see the outside of a prison cell."

Walker waited till both CD and Trivette left out before he walked into the bedroom and looked in on Alex. Trivette had promised to tell them he wouldn't be in the next day. Walker pulled the covers up on Alex, and watched as she let a smile cross her face as she snuggled deeper in them. He sat down on the edge of the bed and just watched her.

This was going to be the mother of his child, the woman he loved. She had been through too much in the last month and a half and he couldn't bring himself to put her through anymore. Why was fate so cruel? Why did she have to relive all those things done to her?

Walker's anger grew once more. He didn't know exactly what had happened to Alex before he had arrived, and he wasn't sure if he could handle hearing it. He was sure Alex didn't need to relive it. It couldn't do anything but bring about more grief, more nightmares and she was just getting to where she slept the entire night.

Sighing to himself. he knew he couldn't do anything else tonight, so he undressed and crawled into the bed, brushing the wisp of hair from her face. This was his wife, his angel of mercy, and he would be damned if he would let the Culliver's harm her anymore. Curling up next to her he placed his arm protectively over her and pulled her softly to him. Tomorrow he would tell her about it, but for now he would let her enjoy one more peaceful night's sleep. 


	27. A Few Things to Tell You

Title: Heart's Ransom 

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 27

The next morning Walker woke up and after making sure Alex was still asleep, went outside and sat on the porch. He had so many things on his mind, so many thoughts running through his head that he couldn't seem to think clearly.

On one hand he wanted to end Chuck Culliver's life so Alex would not have to testify, but deep down he knew he couldn't do it. That would leave Alex alone or on the run with him, and that was no way to raise a child. His own father had been taken from him far too soon in life and he wanted to make sure that he was going to be there for this child.

Walker got up to go back into the house. He didn't want Alex to wake up and find him not there. It was going to be hell telling her, and that was what he needed to do first off.

As he walked into the bedroom he could see she was just stirring from sleep. Walking over he sat down on the side of the bed and ran his hand through her hair until she opened her eyes.

"Good morning Cowboy," she whispered.

Walker was careful of her arm, and pulled her into an embrace. He had almost lost her yet again, It seemed fate was trying its hardest to tear them apart but he wouldn't let fate win.

"How about you take a nice long bath while I make breakfast," he said helping her to stand up.

Alex agreed and went off to run the water. She didn't notice Walker standing in the doorway as she undressed, but the smile on his face as she turned around made her jump.

"Walker! What are you doing staring at me? I must look an awful sight," Alex said, trying to pull the towel around her.

Walker walked over and pulled the towel open, laying his hand across her stomach. "You are the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

Alex's eyes pooled with tears as she shooed Walker out of the room so she could get a bath. She let the towel fall and eased herself into the waiting steam and let the water relax her stiff muscles, careful not to get her stitches wet. It took her longer than expected, as she had tried washing her hair with one hand, and by the time she had gotten out breakfast was ready.

After sitting down Alex let the aroma of the freshly cooked eggs and sausage waft to her and then she turned two shades of green. Fighting back the feeling she took a bite of the eggs, savoring the taste as she was famished.

The feeling did not last long and just as Walker sat down with is own plate Alex dashed from the table, knocking her chair over as she went running towards the bathroom. Walker was only steps behind her, and soon learned what had caused her to run. Alex lay next to the commode heaving and gagging for all she was worth, and yet nothing else would come up. Once the bout was over Walker handed her a wet cloth to wipe her face and helped her back to her feet.

"How about just a glass of juice and some toast?"

Alex wiped her face and brushed her teeth, and then went back out to sit on the couch. Walker brought her the juice which she sipped and the toast which is was nibbling on. Her stomach felt fine now.

"Alex, Walker began. "There is some things I need to talk to you about."

Alex looked up giving Walker her full attention and that is when Walker found the words hard to say. He figured he would get the least traumatic news out first.

"You have an appointment with your doctor today at two," he said smiling at Alex. "They office called while you were in the tub.

Walker watched as Alex nibbled a bit more of her toast and then sipped the last bit of her juice. He grabbed her now free hand and placed it in his own, holding it for the comfort she was sure to need.

"Alex, there is something else. Trivette said they are going to start Chuck Culliver's trial this month, and we are supposed to testify."

Walker waited for the reaction, waited for Alex to speak, but no words came. Alex stared at him as if looking past him at something else, as her eyes again pooled with tears that started to run down her ashen face.

"Why ... she said. "Why, do we have to testify? Isn't there enough evidence without it?"

"I suppose not Alex. We can't let him get away with what he has done to you." Walker moved to pull Alex closer, but she again bolted for the bathroom, heaving the contents of her stomach back up.

Walker watched as Alex cried, not just tears but anguished tears. ones that spoke of something horrible that he yet did not know of. Walker sat down beside Alex there on the floor and just held her. He rubbed her back in soothing circles until the tears stopped and then he pulled her chin up to meet his gaze.

"We will get through this Alex. I promise you we will."

Alex leaned into his arms, welcoming the strength she felt in them. They both laid there on the floor, not caring for anyone or anything until Walker picked Alex up and toted her up the stairs.

"Walker where are we going?"

"You, have not seen the nursery yet, and afterwards I think a nap is in order. You have been through hell Alex and I will not have you overdoing it."

Walker Toted Alex to the nursery door and only then did he set her down on her feet. When he opened the door they both gasped.

The nursery was done it beautiful shades of blue, from the soft pale blue of the walls to the darker blue around the trim.

"Walker! what if it is a girl?" Alex proclaimed.

"If it is then I have a lot of painting to do but either way we won't know till about a month from now so no use worrying."

Walker led Alex back to the living room and told her he was going to turn down the bed for her, but when he got back in the room, Alex was already asleep. Taking the blanket off the back of the couch he covered her up and went off to shower. Today he was going to hear his baby's heartbeat for the very first time, and he was excited.


	28. The Doctor's Visit

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 28

Walker showered and then let Alex take another long soak in the tub. He had asked her if she wanted to talk about Culliver, but she had shrugged the topic away saying she did not want to think about it right now. Walker had to agree. He didn't want to think about it ever again, and especially not today.

He waited for Alex to get dressed and then made her a piece of toast and gave her some juice. Waiting for her to finish was driving him nuts, but he did wait nonetheless. As soon as Alex was done Walker walked her to the truck and helped her inside.

"Walker I am pregnant not an invalid," she chuckled when Walker buckled her seatbelt for her.

"Your arm is hurt Alex, besides just indulge me all right."

Alex laughed, but she let Walker tuck the blanket around her and she sat humming to the radio on the way there.

Walker parked the car and then walked with Alex to the front desk to check in.

"Alex Cahill Walker to see doctor Pearson."

"If you will just have a seat over there the doctor will be with you momentarily Mrs. Walker."

Walker an Alex took a seat and Walker tried to pass the time looking at one of the magazine in the lobby, but soon he tossed it down and began to pace the floor.

"Walker, the other people are beginning to stare," Alex whispered to him.

Walker sat back down. "I can't help it Alex I am nervous an all this waiting is killing me."

"You will just have to be patient Walker I am sure we will be seen soon."

No sooner had Alex said it than a nurse called Alex back to the room.

"Please disrobe and put this on," she said handing Alex the gown. "Sir, you can either step outside or stay if you wish."

Walker looked to Alex but she grabbed his hand and all of a sudden she looked scared. "Stay with me Walker."

"Not even a wild bear could tear me away," Walker joked.

Walker helped Alex take off her shirt past the bandages on her arm and helped her get into the gown. Alex took a seat on the table and Walker took the seat off to the side.

Doctor Pearson walked in an after introducing himself to Walker sat down in the remaining seat.

"Well, Alex by my calculations you should be due around September tenth, but why don't we give you a full checkup and then do the ultrasound to make sure."

Alex held out her arm to have her blood pressure taken, and then the doctor listened to her heartbeat.

"Blood pressure good, weight, and lungs both excellent, and now the nurse will take some blood from you while I go and get the ultrasound machine."

Alex hated needles and she looked away when the nurse stuck her.

"Your vein has collapsed and we need another vial. I am afraid I am going to have to stick you again," the nurse told her an Alex's eyes grew big. Once was not that bad but twice was another story.

Walker could see the look in her eyes, and stood up holding her injured hand, caressing it to try and let her know that he was there. Alex smiled at him, relishing the look in his eyes and she was surprised when the nurse told them she was finished.

"I'm back and now if I can get you to lie down on the table Mrs. Walker we will see how far along you are exactly."

Alex laid down and Walker came to stand at her side. He watched as the doctor turned on the machine and his heart skipped a beat remembering the last time he had heard machines whirling to life when Alex was on the brink of death. Tears welled in his eyes but he fought them back knowing Alex was safe now.

"This, is the head of your baby," the doctor told them both.

Walker gasped aloud as he stared at the monitor trying to see a head in the shape the doctor was looking at. It all looked like a blob to him, but the reality of it all came when the doctor turned on the sound and a steady thump was heard echoing through the room.

"That Mr. and Mrs. Walker is your baby's heartbeat, and by the sound of it your baby is very strong and healthy."

Walker an Alex both let the tears fall from their eyes, both overjoyed with the news that their baby was all right after all the scares they had so far. Alex and Walker were so wrapped up in their joy they did not see the strange look cross the doctor's face.

It was Walker who saw the doctor looking at the screen, and immediately his heart lurched.

"What is it what is wrong?" he asked, the fear in his voice evident.

Alex heard the fear in his voice and she began to tremble beneath him. "No, Walker. What is it? What is wrong with the baby?"

Both of them looked to the doctor for an answer but he held off their questions with a motion of his hand. Alex and Walker both waited, tears streaming down Alex's face when the doctor sat up and beamed one of the biggest smiles they had ever seen.

"Congratulations I think are in order," he said.

"What are you talking about!" Walker yelled, his fear making him on edge.

"You are going to have not one baby Mr. and Mrs. Walker but two."

"Two?" Walker said, his eyebrows raised.

"I shall leave you to get dressed Mrs. Walker. I warn you that there is an added strain to carrying twins and that you should not overexert yourself if possible." After giving them a few more instructions the doctor informed them he would see them again in two months time.

"Walker, how ... two Walker I can't imagine," Alex stuttered.

"I will just have more of you to love," Walker said. "Furthermore, you heard what the doctor said no more overdoing it."

"I'm sure you won't let me."

"That you can bet on. Come on I will help you get dressed and then we will go tell CD and Trivette. I think the news will probably give them both a heart attack." 


	29. The Luckiest Man

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 29

Walker helped Alex back into the car, after they had spent the last twenty minutes listening to all the doctor's instructions. The had to make a stop by the pharmacy and pick up Alex's prenatal vitamins, but then it was straight to CD's for lunch and a bit of fun.

Alex handed her prescription, and wandered around the store while it was being filled, but she found herself pulled to the baby aisle. This is where she found Walker, staring at all the baby things. He looked puzzled an Alex went over and slid her arms around him.

"What is on your mind Cowboy?"

Walker laid down the jar of baby food he was holding and turned to Alex.

"Look at all this stuff Alex. There are four different stages of food, and even more stages of diapers. Are we to weigh the babies just to figure out what size to get? How will I ever learn all this by the time they get here?"

Alex kissed him on his cheek, "You will be a great dad and I am sure it will all come naturally."

"Yeah right," Walker replied, but before he could return her kiss Alex's name was called.

Alex came walking back towards him bag in hand. "Come on let's go to CD's I am starving," she said, dragging Walker out of the store.

"Walker, Alex! come and tell an old man what the doctor said."

Alex went over and took a seat on the barstool, Walker sitting beside her. Both looked at CD, and then Trivette, and laughed.

"What is so funny? Is it a boy or a girl, because if it is a boy then Jimmy has to repaint the nursery by himself. I told that stubborn, muleheaded man it was going to be a girl."

"Could be," Alex said.

"Could be what?" Trivette said, biting his sandwich again.

"The baby could be a boy or could be a girl."

"You mean to tell me that they didn't tell you?" CD asked, placing the fresh bowl of chili down in front of Walker, and a sandwich in front of Alex.

"Hey! where is my chili?"

"Alex, honey, you don't need to eat any chili for a while now. That stuff will give you heartburn something fierce."

"Let me be the judge of that," she said, pulling Walker's bowl over and scooping a spoonful into her mouth.

CD shook his head, but then turned his attention back to Walker. "Well, are you going to tell us what the doctor did say?"

Walker glanced over at Alex, and then back to CD.

"You are both right, maybe, or maybe not," he said, enjoying the looks of confusion on their faces.

"I guess we should tell them," Walker said.

"You are both right because Alex is having twins," Walker said, then covered his smile up by looking into his plate.

The screams were instantaneous. Congratulations were given and then CD looked pale as a ghost.

"What is it CD?" Alex asked.

"That means I have to go out and buy another crib and another changing table, dresser, oh Lord I have to get busy."

"CD, slow down we have plenty of time before they are born." Alex said, placing a claming hand on his. The calm was short lived as her face turned three shades of green.

"Excuse me," was all she got out of her mouth before she took off running.

"I guess the chili was a bad idea after all," Walker said, going to wait by the bathroom door.

Alex emerged a few minutes later, looking sweaty and very pale.

"I think I will hold off eating chili for a while," she remarked.

Alex and Walker told CD and Trivette good-bye, and headed for home. It had been a long day and Walker was exhausted so he knew Alex was.

Alex had enjoyed a nice bath, and now felt much better. When she had gotten out she looked in the mirror at her naked belly, trying to see if there was any sign yet that she was pregnant. She could tell she was pregnant but Walker had told her earlier she looked just the same.

Alex got dressed and went out into the living room to find him but Walker was neither there or the kitchen. Alex found him sitting on the porch. The porch swing was rocking back and forth, but Walker's mind seemed a million miles away. Alex knew it because he didn't even notice when she walked up.

"Walker? what are you thinking about?"

"You," Walker said grabbing her by the waist and pulling her down to sit with him.

"What about me?" Alex said, adjusting herself so that she was sitting next to Walker, her head laying on his shoulder.

"I was thinking about how I am the luckiest man in the world. I have you, and I have our babies," he said rubbing circles on Alex's stomach.

"Are you scared Walker?" Alex asked, sitting up to look into his eyes.

"More than you will ever know. I would rather stare down a raging bull than to know I have to change a diaper."

Alex poked him in the ribs, "You are just saying that Cordell Walker. You will be a great Dad."

Walker sat looking off into the clouds, watching the sun slowly slip behind the cover of the trees.

"I hope so," he whispered. 


	30. The Trial Starts

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 30

Walker and Alex spent the next week rearranging the nursery with the help of CD and Trivette. Now that they were having twins they would need two of some things, but they had both decided they would only need one crib. They didn't want the babies to be separated from each other at night.

After a long hard week the work was finally done, and the nursery was more beautiful than Alex could have imagined. They blue walls now were adorned with pictures of baby animals, to make the room more gender ready.

"Well, Alex, does the room look all right to you?" Walker asked.

"Mmm hmm, " was the only reply he got back from the half asleep woman laying on the couch.

Walker knelt down in front of her and placed his arms underneath her lifting Alex into his arms. He carried her to the bedroom before she woke up.

"Walker, I'm too heavy for you to carry now," she murmured.

Walker laughed, "Alex, you haven't gained but maybe a pound. Stop fussing and go to sleep."

Walker shut the door silently and went to sit down on the couch. This last week had been wonderful. He an Alex had spent everyday getting the nursery ready, and at night sitting on the porch swing together watching the sun go down. Tomorrow, however they would be going for the first day of the trial. Was Alex going to be ready? Walker thought, was he?"

Walker went into the bedroom and stared at Alex for a few minutes, before shedding his clothes and crawling into bed. He laid his arm protectively over her knowing tomorrow they both faced memories that were better left where they were, in the past.

Alex awoke the next morning ready to face the day, till she remembered what day it was. Her mind raced with a thousand thoughts. 'Would Culliver reveal this or that. Would she be able to handle hearing it all over again, or would Walker?' What worried Alex even more was that CD and Trivette would be there. They would hear all the awful things, every last detail. Sighing she slipped her feet over the edge of the bed, and went to shower.

"Goodmorning sunshine," Walker greeted her. When he looked though he did not see a smiling face staring back at him, he saw one with a brow wrinkled in worry.

"Come on Alex, sit down and try to eat something."

Alex sat down but she only stared at the plate in front of her and reached for the cup of coffee. As if it were an afterthought she added cream and sugar still in the trancelike state, and didn't notice when the cup ran over, spilling onto the table.

"Alex, you're shaking. Calm down, everything will be all right," Walker tried to soothe her, cleaning up the mess on the table.

"How can you say that Walker. Everyone will know what happened. They hear every vile thing he did."

"We had the courtroom closed for the trial only CD and Trivette will be there, and Sydney and Gage if you want them to be."

Alex's face paled even further but she didn't say anything else. After a few more minutes of persuasion from Walker she ate a piece of toast, but nothing else, feeling she would be sick even from the toast.

"Come on we don't want to be late," Walker said, handing Alex her coat.

Alex placed it on and got inside the truck, heading toward what was sure to be a day spent in hell.

Walker pushed open the door to Courtroom C and he and Alex walked through. To their left both could see Trivette and CD talking with Sydney and Gage.

"Hey their honey. How are you feeling this morning?" CD inquired.

"I've had better mornings," Alex answered back.

"Don't you worry about a thing Alex. This scumbag is going away for life for what he did."

Alex was about to answer when the door to the judge's chambers opened and he walked through. Alex had known Judge Simmons. She had plead many cases before him, and that was making her stomach turn, thinking of how he too would look at her everytime she came before him with pity in his eyes.

Everyone took their seats, and Alex and Walker talked to her lawyer for a few minutes, and that is when Alex's world seemed to come to a halt, for in walked Chuck Culliver, and with him the memories came flooding back. She was snapped from her thought when the gavel was banged.

"This court will come to order to hear the charges against Chuck Culliver, who not only kidnapped Alexandra Cahill on December of this past year, but also held Cordell Walker, CD Parker and a James Trivette of the Texas Rangers. Please give your opening statements to the court."

Alex sat as the lawyers explained both sides, and then CD was called to the stand.

CD explained everything that had happened to him, while Culliver's lawyers tried to nitpick him on every detail, but CD held his own and soon he was told to step down.

"The court calls James Trivette to the stand."

Trivette walked up and explained to the court how he and CD had found out where the Culliver brothers were keeping Alex and Walker.

"What did you discover about the state of Ms.Cahill Walker and Mr. Walker when you arrived?"

Trivette looked angry as he answered, "Both were very dehydrated. Alex had several bruises and a couple broken bones and that is only what I could see. Walker looked to have been beaten, and both were being held hostage."

It was then Culliver's lawyers turn. "Mr. Trivette did you not in fact kill Roger Culliver, in cold blood?"

Trivette's eyes grew as cold as ice, and his voice sounded a bit angry when he spoke.

"Roger Culliver was trying to attack me, after kidnapping and beating to very close friends of mine. So your answer is yes. When he spoke of trying to prevent our escape I did in fact shoot him."

"No further questions your honor."

Alex looked over to Chuck Culliver and could see the false tears in his eyes. She had known they were false then, when she was captive and she knew they were now as well.

"The state would like to call Alexandra Cahill to the stand."

Alex heard her name, but her legs didn't seem to want to stand. After a gentle squeeze of her hand by Walker she stood and walked to the witness stand. After swearing on oath she turned to see Culliver's lawyer smiling back at her. All her years of being the one interrogating, and now she was on the receiving end.

"Ms. Cahill didn't you in fact go willingly with the Culliver brother on December twentieth of last year?"

Alex shook the cobwebs from her head and stared blankly at the man.

"Ms. Cahill, could you answer the question please."

Alex wet her dry lips, "Roger Culliver came to the door and told me his car had broken down outside. I let him in to use the phone, and he asked if I had a screwdriver. I went to get it and walked outside to hand it to him. That is when he grabbed me and threw me in the truck."

"So you are saying you didn't go with him willingly?"

"That is what I am saying," Alex said while she glared at him.

Culliver's lawyer went and talked with Chuck Culliver for a second before approaching Alex again.

"Is it in fact true that you tried to stab my client on that very same day?"

Alex's gasp could be heard throughout the courtroom. "That was in self defense!" she yelled.

"If this was so called self defense then you can tell us what provoked you to try and kill my client."

Alex's face scrunched up, and she looked over to Walker who nodded to her. Taking a deep breath she turned again to face the lawyer.

"Once they got me to wherever we were I was told to shut up and do as I was told and then no one else would get hurt, but if I didn't then they would kill my friends and lastly Walker."

Alex's breaths were coming faster now as the memories came flooding back. "I didn't want to be there and they told me I couldn't leave. I tried to make a run for it but before I got to the door Roger Culliver grabbed me and threw me to the floor. I tried to get up again and that is when his brother kicked me in the stomach."

Alex stopped, the tears starting to collect in her eyes, but if she had dared to look into the courtroom she would have seen CD wiping at his eyes and Sydney being restrained by Gage.

"Please continue Ms. Cahill," the judge urged.

"I got to my knees, and tried to crawl towards the door, but he yanked me by my hair and told me he liked his women on their knees. He started ... he started to grab at me, and I slapped his hands away and screamed for help, but all this did was seem to make them happy for they laughed at me."

Alex's face was littered with tears now as they rolled down her face unchecked.

"I stood up and he kissed my neck and I kicked him as hard as I could and ran towards the door, but I only made it halfway there before he tackled me to the floor. The screwdriver I had given him earlier was in his pocket and I grabbed it and stabbed him in the leg, and tried crawling away."

"And did you get away Ms. Cahill after you tried to kill my client?"

Alex shook her head no. "He grabbed me and tied my hands up, and that is when Chuck Culliver came in with the glass. I didn't want to drink it and spit the first sip out, but when they poured the next swallow in Roger Culliver punched me in the stomach and I swallowed."

"Isn't it true that my client didn't even come into the room again that night?"

Alex's breaths were becoming ragged, her vision swimming behind the tears. She didn't want to finish, she didn't want to speak about any of it.

"Could your honor please direct Ms. Cahill to answer the question?"

"Ms. Cahill you will answer the lawyer's question, but take your time," the judge said, seeing that Alex was having difficulty.

After wiping at her eyes Alex stared at the lawyer, not wanting to see Walker's face as she revealed this.

"It's true he didn't come into the room, he stood in the doorway."

"Why was he standing in the doorway Ms. Cahill wasn't it to make sure you were safe?"

There was a strangled laugh that came from Alex. "Safe! you call what he watched making sure I was safe! His brother first stripped me, and then as I begged and pleaded for him to stop, raped me over and over while your client stood there laughing!"

By this time Alex was on her feet on the witness stand. "He didn't try not once to help me. I begged him, I begged God, I begged anyone that could hear me to make him stop. I screamed until I couldn't anymore and they only laughed, and when he was done and untied me I tried to run but I stumbled and fell. That is when your client got some sick pleasure of taking off his belt and beating me till I passed out. That is what your client did and that was only the first night!"

Alex went to sit down after her outburst, but the room began to spin. "Walker ... she whispered to the man who was fast approaching her, but her world went dark and Alex collapsed onto the floor. 


	31. And so it begins

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 31

Walker had gritted his teeth as Alex explained things that they had done to her. His mind whirled with thoughts of pulling his gun and shooting Culliver dead on the spot, but CD had also seen his wavering hand near his gun and laid a hand atop Walker's.

"You can't let vengeance take over, Cordell, no matter how badly the piece of dirt deserves it."

Walker settled back in his seat, his hands grinding at what was being said, the urge to wipe the smug look off of Culliver's face so great that the only thing stopping him was the looks given to him by CD. It was as CD was staring at him that Alex had jumped up and Walker could see the fear, the outrage in her eyes, and then he saw something else, a look of confusion, right before he noticed her starting to waver.

Walker was on his feet, heading towards Alex, when he saw her collapse. He lunged himself over the stand just as she fell the floor beside her seat. CD and Trivette were on their feet, but Walker's mind was on nothing but Alex, who seemed to be coming around now.

"Alex? Are you all right? Can you hear me?" he questioned her.

Alex's eyes fluttered open as a short recess was called. Walker helped Alex to her feet and then swung her up into his arms as he carried her out of the courtroom. They walked until he found an empty room and sat her down there.

"Alex, you need to see the doctor. This can't be a good sign, and I don't want you endangering yourself or the babies."

Alex fought back the tears that were threatening to fall. She felt naked somehow, even though she was clad in her business suit. She had revealed things that she had not wanted to, and yet Walker was still here with her, looking at her lovingly, his eyes full of concern. She shied away a few inches and watched as Walker pulled her closer.

Walker could sense her fear and soothed her with his next words. "There is nothing that you can say or reveal that will make me love you any less. We will go through this together, Alex. I only want to help you, if you will let me."

Walker's voice had become strangled as the last words left his mouth.

"I am fine, Walker, really, but if you want the doctor to look me over we can go after court lets out for the day."

Alex noticed Walker's face grinning sheepishly. "Wrong, Alex, I had CD call the doctor, and he is on his way now."

Alex grimaced at the thought, but when she opened her eyes again Walker was still there. Standing up, she knew there was no way out of it, so she waited along with Walker for the doctor and, within minutes, he was there. This was when Alex regretted having a doctor's office so close by to her work.

Ten minutes later and Walker and Alex were sitting together waiting for the doctor's explanation. They didn't have to wait long, and the look on the doctor's face was not a happy one.

"Alex, I must stress to you the importance of things. You are carrying twins, which in itself is harder than a normal pregnancy. Any extra or added stress is not good for you or the babies. I want you to remain as calm as you can, despite the case you are going through."

The doctor then looked to Walker. "I will depend on you to keep her grounded, to keep her calm, if you can."

Walker's face was as stern as Alex had ever seen. "I will help her, I promise," he said.

Once the recess was over, Walker walked back in, but he noticed only Trivette and CD were left in the courtroom. He walked Alex back over to the witness stand and stared into her eyes.

"Are you sure you are ready?" he asked.

Alex nodded and he squeezed her hand, trying to relay the message that he was here for her, before going back and taking his seat next to CD.

"Where did Gage and Sydney get off to?"

CD chuckled. "Culliver found Alex's situation funny and spoke about how nice she was, and that is when Gage punched him. It took Sydney and Trivette to drag him out of the courtroom. I think Sydney took him back to headquarters, before we found him in jail."

"The judge didn't stop him?"

"The judge said his back had been turned and he didn't see the incident, so he says anyway."

Walker smiled, as Culliver was brought back in sporting the new busted lip.

The judge called the room to order and then peered over at Alex. "Mrs. Cahill-Walker, are you ready to presume?"

Alex nodded her head yes, and Culliver's lawyer stood back up to question her. The lawyer did not look malicious or anything, and Alex knew he was only doing his job, but she still loathed what she was sure would be another personal question.

"Mrs. Cahill, after the alleged beating and rape, didn't my client in fact bring you bandages for your injuries? Did he not give you something to eat and then drink, showing how he did not agree with your situation?"

Alex glared at the man before she spoke. "He did not, in fact, show me any compassion as you so claim. Yes, he brought me food, one slice of bread and a glass of water. As for bandages, he threw me a band-aid. However, I wasn't able to clean my injuries as my hand was again handcuffed to the bedframe."

"I see so you are saying that you were not given proper medical treatement by my client. Now, Mrs. Cahill, was it not my client who offered to give you heat when there was none in the room?"

Alex stared over at Walker and watched as he smiled back at her before answering the question.

"Let me explain my answer to you so that you will understand. Your client did nothing to help me. The room was freezing cold and I was without any clothes. I was given them back to put on before being handcuffed again, but since the room had no heat, it was still freezing. Your client offered to keep me company, as he said, but I found out his idea of compant was to lay on top of me while making lewd comments. I spent the entire night with him breathing on me, licking me, and occasionally touching me. When I tried to yell, he would slap me, when I tried to squirm away, he would only hold me down and laugh as I struggled. It was a night of no sleep."

The lawyer went over and talked with Culliver for a few minutes before returning with a smile. "Mrs Cahill did my client ever strike you while in the company of his brother? In fact, didn't he stop his brother from striking you once?"

Alex visibly shuddered, her eyes now glistening with tears that had yet to fall, but she sucked in a deep breath an answered. "He never struck me in his brother's presence only. As for the time he is referring to, his brother was slapping me around, telling me what a treasure I was and how he was going to love watching me die slowly when Chuck stopped him. His idea of protection was to tell me he wanted me for himself. When I did not like his advances and kicked him, I was rewarded with him taking his belt off and beating me. He called it a spanking for being bad, but I call being beaten with his belt for over an hour torture, nothing else."

The judge sat for awhile, seemingly thinking over what had been said, and then she raised her gavel. "Court is adjorned until tomorrow morning at nine a.m. Baliff, please escort the defendent back into custody."

Alex sighed with relief and went to walk back to her seat, but her legs were still shaky and she wavered, before Walker's steady hand was beside her. They didn't speak except to thank CD and Trivette for coming and the ride home was in silence. Walker came around and helped Alex out of the truck and into the house. She sat down, and that was when the flood of emotions finally hit her and Alex fell into a heap, sobbing into the pillows on the couch.

She had not meant to tell everything, but the smug look on Culliver's face had enraged her. She heard Walker walking over to her but did not look up, and when he touched her face to wipe away the tears, she flinched involuntarily.

"I'm sorry," she muttered.

Walker didn't turn away from her, instead he sat down on the couch and pulled her into his lap, holding her tightly as the flood of tears was released. He sat there rocking her as if she were a babe, thinking at the same time how lucky he was that she was his. He wanted to kill, the urge growing stronger with each stiffled sob that escaped her lips.

"Come on, Alex," he said, coaxing her up from the couch. "You need a hot bath, while I fix us something to eat."

Alex took one of the longest baths ever, Walker even coming in to help wash her hair. Once the bath was over and Alex was in more comfortable clothes, she and Walker ate dinner. They discussed the day's events, and Alex still felt that nagging voice in the back of her mind that told her Walker had yet to hear it all.

Walker wasted no time in ushering Alex to bed, but again she pleaded with him to stay. Walker leaned over to turn out the light and that is when Alex sat straight up, whimpering as if she were a small child.

He understood perfectly how Alex felt. The dark was a place that she was kept for over a week, alone. He pulled her closer and held her tightly to him until she drifted off to sleep, and then he turned out the light. If she woke in the night, she would know he was there. Tomorrow would be another day of testimony, another grueling day for Alex, and one he did not know if he could withstand. 


	32. It was only a dream

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 32

Walker was jolted from his rest by a scream. It was not an ordinary scream by any means; it was Alex. Walker reached over to touch her, but Alex crawled away from him. Her eyes were glazed over, her whole body trembling. Walker knew she was still asleep, but the reaction made him uneasy nonetheless.

"Alex," he whispered, trying to coax her awake. The immediate response was sobbing from Alex, who was now crawling further and further away from him, nearing the edge of the bed. Walker was getting nervous now, as he feared Alex would fall off the edge of the bed if she moved any further.

"Alex, honey, you are just having a dream," he tried again.

This time Alex seemed to look towards him, but instead he could still see the glassy look in her eyes and knew she was not yet awake. He reached for her to ease her back onto the bed, but she started trembling.

"Please ... don't hurt me anymore," she whimpered.

Walker's hand stilled in mid-air. Alex, though staring at him, was seeing Culliver. He had to wake her, and soon, for he did not like the thoughts of what she was seeing.

Walker did the only thing he knew to do and reached out his hand, touching Alex on hers as he tried to pull her gently back onto the bed. The reaction was instaneous. Alex let out a bloodcurling scream and started to back away even faster, falling off the edge of the bed. Walker ran around the side of the bed and tried to see if Alex was hurt, but she screamed even louder.

"I don't want you! Walker! Please, Walker, help me!" Alex pleaded, pulling her legs up against her.

Walker couldn't move, for fear of frightening her, but her words had cut a hole deep inside his heart. What else had Culliver done to her? What cruel an unimaginable things had she had to go through before he got there? Walker did the only thing he knew to do, he yelled.

"Alex! Wake up! You are dreaming!" Walker watched as the glazed look slowly left her eyes, but he almost wished it hadn't when tears began to pool in them and fall down her face.

Walker couldn't stand it any longer and pulled Alex over to him, holding her tightly against his chest. He held her there despite her flinches. When he felt her tremble beneath him, it only made him hold her tighter. They sat there on the floor until Walker felt her hand and noticed it was cold. Carefully he hoisted her up in his arms and laid her back down on the bed.

"I'll go and get you a glass of water," he told her, before going into the bathroom. When he came back, she had a faraway look in her eyes as if she were remembering something that he did not know.

"Do you want to tell me about it?" he quiered softly, as he sat down beside her.

Alex shook her head, and Walker thought she would withdraw from him. Walker was heartbroken that Alex felt she couldn't tell him, but her hand came to lay on his arm and soon she was sobbing into his chest again. Once the flow of tears came to a halt, Alex was curled against him. She lifted her head and stared deep into the brown eyes staring back at her. She didn't see anything but love in them, and this had the words rolling out of her mouth.

"Walker, I didn't mean to ... I thought you were him."

"I know, Alex. It's all right. You are safe here. Do you want to tell me what it was about?"

Alex didn't want to, but those pleading eyes staring into hers could not be resisted. She shook her head but curled her legs up to her again.

"He wanted me to tell him I loved him and I wouldn't," Alex began, her voice sounding strangled.

Walker didn't prod her for anything more. He waited to she started again, holding her hand.

"When I wouldn't say it, he became angry. He screamed at me, called me a whore and said I would never see you again because he was sure to kill me before then. I was scared, Walker."

"I'm here, Alex, you don't have anything to fear anymore. I will protect you," Walker said, trying to comfort her.

"That's just it, Walker, I didn't know. He swore I wouldn't live, Walker, and the pain, it hurt so much I couldn't stand it anymore," Alex said, as a fresh wave of tears tumbled down.

"What, Alex, you can tell me?"

"He beat me, Walker, and he kept on beating me. I tried to fight back, honestly I did. I kicked and screamed and begged, but he didn't stop. I can still feel him punching me; I can still feel the pain I felt then, and it hurts me to know I was so weak."

"You weren't weak, Alex, you were a victim," Walker soothed, though his other hand was clenching the sheets tightly.

"I couldn't stop him, Walker. He was too strong," Alex sobbed.

Walker's hand gripped the sheets until his knuckles turned white. He hated Chuck Culliver and was glad Trivette had killed his brother. He knew it was wrong to hate, but he did. With every fiber of his being, he hated them.

As the memories became too real, Alex leapt up from the bed and only made it to the bathroom just in time before retching. As the visions of what had happened assaulted her mind, her stomach clenched with a new wave of nausea, and it only ended when there was nothing left in her.

Walker handed her a cloth to wash her face and then excused himself so she could freshen up. He waited for her by the door and carried her now wobbling body back over to the bed, tucking her under the covers.

He was angry, not with Alex, but with himself. He was her husband; he was supposed to protect her, and now he felt as if he had failed in doing so. He was also ashamed of himself, for he was scared to learn what else they had done to her, afraid of what he might do should he find out. Knowing nothing else mattered right now but Alex, he lay down beside her and glanced down and her stomach.

Alex was just now starting to show a bit. No one else would noticed, but Walker knew that inside her were his children. He carefully ran his hand over her stomach and smiled to himself, but then realized that if this trial did not finished soon it would not only harm Alex, but the babies, as well. He could not lose any of them, and he wouldn't, no matter what he had to do to insure it.

It was only when he looked up that he noticed Alex staring back at him, her lashes still wet with tears. "I will protect you, Alex, I promise."

He saw her about to say something but pressed his finger to her lips. "Nothing that has happened could make me think differently about you. In fact I only love you more because of who you are."

Walker laid down beside Alex and ran his hand over her stomach until he could hear the soft breathing to alert him that she had fallen asleep. He then kissed her atop her head, before crawling out of the bed and going to the phone in the livingroom. He didn't want Alex to know, but he was going to call the doctor, for all of this couldn't be good for her or the babies.

After his call, he came back into the room with a frown. The doctor had informed him of the consequences, and they were nothing to play around with, but the serene look on Alex's face drew him to the bed. He laid down beside her and her arm wrapped instinctively around him. This was his family, this was his life, and he would fight to kill all who stood in their way of happiness. 


	33. A Lucky Man to Have You

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 33

Walker woke Alex early the next morning. He was glad that court would let out early today, for he didn't think Alex could take much more. She was slowly starting to open her eyes, as he brushed her hair away from her face.

"What is it Walker?"

"Nothing," he lied. "There is just something about watching you sleep that brings the whole world into perspective is all."

Alex pushed him away and when he feigned being hurt she pulled him closer to her. Alex didn't know how bad she had hurt Walker the night before, and she was scared she had pushed him away too far. It lingered in the back of her mind while she showered, and it was when she looked herself in the mirror that she remembered why she had pushed him away.

Where once her skin was soft, now it lay riddled with bruises that were fading still, and gashes that were healed but the scars still remained. She was about to close her robe around her when Walker came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her.

"You are more beautiful today than when I first laid eyes on you."

"Cordell Walker! The fist time I laid eyes on you I thought you a pompous arrogant ass and you know it."

"And how do you feel about me now counselor?"

"Now I love you more than life itself," she whispered.

"Good, then hurry up and get dressed I have a phone call to make."

Alex entered the livingroom just as Walker was hanging up the phone.

"It's all set, CD and Trivette are bringing over some steaks on Saturday, but tonight I have somewhere special I am going to take you."

"Where?"

"You will see Alex. Don't you trust me?"

"Not this time I don't. I see that look in your eye, what have you cooked up?"

Walker shuffled Alex out the door and into the Dodge Ram and headed towards the courthouse. As they neared it the sense of dread was so thick you could cut it with a knife, but Alex got out of the truck and held her head high as she marched into the courthouse.

Court was called to order and Culliver was led from the backroom. Once he was firmly secured on the witness stand Alex's lawyer started in on him.

Culliver dodged the questions well until Alex's lawyer smirked at him as she asked the final question of the day.

"Did you at any time, physically harm my client?"

Culliver's face grew very pale, but then it brightened into a sickening smile. Alex from where she sat started to shake and Walker noticed. He leaned forward and gave her shoulder a squeeze to let her know he was there.

Culliver looked over to Alex, smiling at her as he did, before he answered.

"If you mean did I hurt her when I tried to make love to her no, but she sure as hell hurt me. The little bitch took a hunk of skin out of my face, and of course I had to slap her to get her off me. Well, it seemed like that was the green light for her. I slapped her over and over after that, and she loved each and every one, screaming for more."

Alex was enraged, and stood up glaring at Culliver before she felt her knees buckle underneath her. Walker notcied to and grabbed onto her arms, helping her back into her seat. He was no longer sitting behind her, but stooped down beside her.

"Are you okay Alex?"

Alex shook her head that she was, but the judge's gavel brought both their heads back up.

"Court is adjourned till Monday morning at nine a.m, I will see you then."

Walker grabbed Alex's hand and helped her to stand, and that is when Culliver began screaming out to him.

"I had her first man, and she loved it! You couldn't even stop me when you were there could you ranger!"

Walker's hand went to his gun, but Alex stopped him. She didn't speak for the cold deathly look in his eyes meant his rage was at its highest point. It was not until Culliver was dragged out of the courtroom did Walker even blink.

Alex didn't say anything as Walker and her left the courthouse and she didn't even say anything when he turned down a different road from where the ranch was. Finally Alex couldn't take it anymore and she turned to face Walker.

"Walker, are you all right? You haven't said anything since we left."

Walker blinked a couple of times, but Alex could see the tears that had not fallen.

"I feel like I have let you down Alex. I should have killed that man the moment I laid eyes on him, and then you wouldn't have suffered so much."

"Walker ... Walker look at me!"

Walker turned his head and Alex could see the tears glistening in the corners of his eyes.

"You have never disappointed me. If not for you I wouldn't have fought so hard, I would have died. You are my everything Cordell Walker and don't you forget it!"

Walker's grim face turned into a smile and he startled Alex when he laughed out loud.

"You are something else Alex Walker, and I am a lucky man to have you, now let's get going."

"Walker where are we going? The road to the ranch was four miles back."

"I am taking you to the fair Alex, because you need a bit of fun for the night."

Alex opened and closed her mouth, and then smiled, the fair sounded great. Snuggling up to Walker she watched as the ferris wheel came into sight and knew they would have a good time, and for awhile forget their troubles. 


	34. A Day at the Fair

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 34

The county fair had been a favorite past time of Alex's since she was a child. The whirl of the rides, the smells of the cotton candy, and the lure of the games along the midway. There was nothing else in the world like it, and that is the feeling Alex was having as she and Walker stood in line for the ferris wheel.

"Are you sure you want to go on this Alex?"

"I may be pregnant but I am not an invalid." Alex huffed.

Walker held his hands up in submission. "Sorry, I didn't mean anything by it."

Alex grabbed him by the hand and dragged him onto the ride. "I didn't mean anything Walker, it's just that I guess I feel self conscious. I'm not used to being pregnant and knowing soon I won't even be able to tie my own shoes is disturbing."

Walker and Alex sat side by side on the ferris wheel watching the lights from the midway as it crested at the top and not wanting the ride to stop.

"How about a couple of those wonderful smelling chili dogs," Alex suggested once they exited the Ferris wheel.

Walker agreed that he was a little hungry too and they walked over to one of the vendor carts.

"I need two chili dogs please," he told the man working inside.

"Put mustard on mine, and ketchup, and a little bit of that relish too," Alex said, peeking over Walker's shoulder.

Walker chuckled when he handed Alex her hot dog piled high with everything, and he watched her eat it all within four bites and order another. Only after watching her wash it down with a lemonade, did he dare to ask her anything.

"Hungry?" he chided her.

All that got from Alex was a glare.

"I am eating for three now, and the babies wished a chili dog a piece, how could I deny them," she smirked.

"Well, when you put it that way, I agree."

Alex and Walker strolled down the midway and Walker bought Alex a bit of cotton candy, which Alex shared with him. They were happy, no cares here, no worries, only the sound of laughter all around them along with the whirl of the rides.

Walker took Alex by the hand and led her through the glass house, where both of them ended up banging their heads quite a few times, and then together they walked through the fun house, Alex not at all amused by the odd mirrors inside.

"They make me look like I weight four hundred pounds!" she yelped.

"If that is the case, then I am four foot six, with stumpy legs and eight inch arms," Walker laughed.

Alex walked over to the mirror he was standing in front of and laughed, it making her feel a lot better. The end of the fun house was a giant tunnel but Walker did not wish Alex to fall and led her through.

Alex, Walker had noticed was staring at a huge stuffed bear, and he grabbed her hand and led her over to the game. It seemed like a simple enough game, just shoot the ducks over. He let Alex try first, but Alex only managed to knock down one.

"Would you like to try and win the little lady a prize?" the man asked, handing Walker the small pistol.

Walker picked it up and grinned at the man. "I will give it a go."

Soon Alex was holding the huge bear, and the man at the booth was staring at the pistol, he had just used.

"Where too next Alex?"

"Can we go on that?" Alex asked, pointing to the teacups. Walker's face flinched just looking at them, knowing they were one of the few things that made him feel uneasy, but the sparkle in Alex's eyes made him agree.

When the ride stopped Alex's face was beaming.

"That was great!" she yelled, and began to drag Walker on some of the more extreme rides. Over and over he chastised her about being on them as he read the warning signs about pregnancy.

"Walker, no one would even know if we didn't tell them. I hope they would assume I was only a little pudgy."

Walker looked at Alex and had to agree with her. True, she had a little stomach now, but without knowing her, no one would suspect she was pregnant with twins.

"All right Alex but this is the last one. They will be closing soon."

Walker got on the ride but even as they were buckling them in Walker had a funny feeling. The ride was only the Tilt O Whirl but for some reason Walker could not recall watching it before.

The ride started off easily enough, Walker leaning over and loosening the strap over Alex stomach. To insure her safety he pulled her close to him and put his arm around her.

Alex enjoyed the feeling of being in Walker's arm and laid her head on his shoulders. The first spin of the ride had her hardpressed against his strong arms, a feeling she liked even more. The ride then began to go faster and faster, and soon Alex couldn't move more than a couple inches off of Walker, before she was thrown back towards him.

Walker was getting very upset, and when Alex was slung to the other side of the ride he became angry. Leaning as far over as he dared Walker yelled to the ride operator to stop the ride. The teen running it seemed a bit angry at the request, but he stopped the ride, and Walker and Alex got off.

"Come on Alex we will just walk over there to the picnic tables, and sit down, as you don't look really good."

Alex sat down, but everything still seemed to be moving. Walker heard Alex moaned right before she bolted to her feet and ran for the nearest trash can. Alex lost all her dinner, retching till her stomach burned, and then she collapsed on the nearby bench.

Walker laid his arm across her shoulder, and felt her forehead to make sure she wasn't coming down with anything.

"I'll get you something to drink," he offered and came back a minute later with another lemonade.

Alex took three sips and again was leaning over heaving. Walker felt bad about not being able to help her, so he just held her hair for her, and rubbed her back till the heaves stop.

"Come on Alex, let me take you home."

Alex leaned on Walker all the way back to the Dodge Ram, her head spinning, her stomach very close to revolting against her again. Walker opened the door for her, and once she was situated he then got in the other side. He looked over and saw Alex trembling, he after effects of being sick, and started the engine, knowing the sooner they got home the better.

The Dodge Ram pulled up at the ranch, but Alex had fallen asleep inside, curled up next to Walker. He didn't have it in him to wake her so as carefully as he could he picked her up and toted her inside.

Walker held her while he undid the buttons on her shirt, and slid one of his tee-shirts over her head, and then he slipped off her shoes, and pants, pulling the covers up over her. Walker went and had a shower and pulled his own sleep pants and shirt on before crawling into the bed, and falling asleep curled up next to the woman he loved. 


	35. Because I Was Shamed

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 35

Monday morning dawned on Walker and he was not ready to face the day. True, Alex had been sick the day before, but he had enjoyed their time away from hurtful things such as the trial. The trial was looming ahead, in but three hours, but Walker decided to let Alex sleep awhile longer. Walker got dressed and taking a cup of coffee went to sit out on the porch.

This was the time of the day he liked to reflect on what was going on in his life. Walker sipped at the coffee and thought back to only a few months ago. He had been frantic when Alex was taken. He had taken it as a personal vendetta against him. For some reason he always lost the people he loved.

Walker was dwelling on the past, but hearing the screen door swing open his thoughts came to life in front of him. Alex was beautiful, even more so now that she was carrying his children. Nothing else in the world mattered to him. He would give up everything for her.

Alex came to sit down beside him on the steps, and wrapped her arms around him.

"Good morning Cowboy," she whispered into his ear.

Walker leaned over to kiss her gently upon the lips, and then helped her to stand.

"Come on, let's get this over with."

Hand in hand they walked inside to get dressed, and hand in hand they were later walking into the courtroom. Walker knew he would be called to testify today possibly, and he mentally prepared himself for it.

Inside the courtroom CD and Trivette waited for them, and as Walker and Alex sat down in front of them CD patted Alex's shoulder in support. Court was called to order and Chuck Culliver was brought into the courtroom. This is when Alex visibly shuddered.

Alex knew she shouldn't be afraid as he was shackled. but somehow her mind told her he was capable of anything. She did not know how true it would be at the end of the day.

"Chuck Culliver, if you would take the stand."

Culliver walked over and sat down in the seat, and Alex's lawyer started her questions.

"Did you Mr. Culliver at any time take as a hostage either Mr. CD Parker, a Mr. James Trivette, or Mr. Cordell Walker?"

"I did not take any of them hostage," Culliver denied.

"Isn't it my understanding these men all were bound and held against their will while in your presence?"

Culliver didn't even try to look remorseful for his actions.

"I can't help what my brother chose to do. Who was I to stop him?"

"Are you trying to tell me Mr. Culliver that you could do nothing to help these people? That at no time you could have helped them escape?"

"I couldn't have done a thing to help them. In fact I feared for my own life many times. All of them swore to kill me if I released them. What was I truly to do?"

"Mr. Culliver is it not true that you were threatened only after these men had watched your torture Mrs. Walker for hours on end?"

"I never tortured her. She enjoyed each and every thing I did to her, begging me even."

Alex couldn't help herself and stood up.

"Begging! I never begged for anything, other than for you to stop, but did you, no!"

Walker laid his hand upon Alex's shoulder and helped her back into her chair, but he could see the anger and hurt in her eyes.

"The defense calls Cordell Walker to the stands."

Walker made his way to the stand, and repeated the oath.

"Cordell Walker, could you please tell the court when you first realized Ms. Cahill was missing."

Walker told them how he had found Alex's car abandoned, and how he knew she was missing. He also described to them the phone call he had gotten from Roger Culliver.

"Mr. Walker could you describe to the courts in what condition you found Ms. Cahill."

Walker swallowed the lump in his throat, but went on.

"When I got there I found her bound to a bed. She had several bruises on her face and body, welts along her back. Her lip had been busted, and she was severely malnourished."

It was Culliver's lawyer who next questioned Walker.

"Mr. Walker, was in not rage you felt, wasn't it a homicidal rage, wanting to kill Roger Culliver and his brother in cold blood that you felt that day?"

Walker shook his head no.

"If it was not an urge to kill these men you felt that day then what was it? Do not try to tell me or this court that you felt pity for these men."

When Walker did not answer, nor make any attempt to Culliver's lawyer persisted.

"Mr. Walker, need I remind you that you are under oath, and that you have still not answered my question."

Walker still did not answer, his throat constricting at the thought of answering.

"Mr. Walker, you must answer the question," the judge leaned over and informed Walker.

Walker swallowed both this lump in his throat and his pride and answered the question.

"It was not the urge to kill I felt, it was shame."

"Explain what you mean by shame," the lawyer asked, and Walker could see Culliver smiling at him, gleeful almost.

Walker sighed, "I felt ashamed that I had let something like this happen, and then when I did find Alex, I couldn't do anything to help her. I should have protected her, and yet I let Roger Culliver get to her, and it almost cost Alex her life. If you want to know how I felt that is it, I was ashamed, I felt powerless to stop him."

Alex's mouth was opening and closing, no words coming out though, and behind her Trivette sat stunned. Cordell Walker had never admitted defeat. In all the years he had known him he had never even seen the man look anything but confident. Only one sitting in the courtroom had ever seen Walker as he was now, and that was CD.

"I think I would like to recall Alex Cahill to the stand," Culliver's lawyer asked.

Walker stepped down and went back to his seat, his stomach churning as he did. Alex laid her hand upon his and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Once Alex had seated herself again on the witness stand the lawyer asked his next question.

"Mrs. Cahill did you ever willingly have sexual relations with my client?"

Alex jumped up, her face turning red with anger. "What has this got to do with anything!" she shouted.

"Answer the question Mrs. Cahill."

Alex was fuming, she was so angry she could feel her own heartbeat in her ears, but she answered the question.

"I never willingly did anything with this man or his so called brother. If he says anything other than that he is lying."

"Are you sure Mrs. Cahill?"

"It is Mrs. Walker," Alex said through gritted teeth. "That man and his brother raped me over and over for two days while the other watched. I was not ever at any point willing. If he is referring to ever pleading with him, the only thing I pleaded for was for him to kill me so that I would be free from that hell."

Culliver's lawyer ended his questioning, but Chuck Culliver sat in his chair a sickening smile plastered on his face. All around the room were stares of hatred, loathing for the man, and Sydney her head buried against Gage's shoulder apparently in tears.

Alex stepped down from the witness stand, and took a moment to catch her breath, and that was when Culliver lunged forward wrapping his hands in hers, clasping them tightly to him.

Alex yelped, more from fright than from anything else, and the others were on their feet, guns drawn in a flash.

"Mr. Culliver you will release Mrs. Walker at once!" the judge yelled.

"I just wanted to express my sorrow to her your honor," Chuck said, his grip becoming tighter.

Alex closed her eyes, as she could feel his breath on her face. Her arm hurt, but that didn't matter as her mind took her back to the room she was kept, the pain there, the horrors. Two tears rolled down her face though she made no noise.

Chuck Culliver leaned in closer to her ear and whispered. "You know I liked the last time we were together and we will be again, this I promise you. I want to feel you beneath me."

Culliver didn't get a chance to say anything else, as the butt of Walker's gun was placed firmly beside his left temple. Walker wanted so much to pull the trigger, to end Alex's misery.

Culliver released Alex and shoved her into Walker's arms. "We will meet again ranger I guarantee you that, and I will tell you all about how your wife was, I promise."

"If we ever cross paths again outside of the state prison, you will die, that I promise Culliver," Walker said.

Culliver was led back to his holding cell and Walker placed his arms around a now trembling Alex and led her back to the safety of home. 


	36. Just One More Day

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 36

Walker felt helpless day after day as the testimony went on and on. Each day he saw Alex crumble beneath the harsh reality of what had happened to her, and each day he learned a little more what a strong woman she was for having endured it.

Walker had been relieved when Alex passed the morning sickness stage, and was able to eat again, but as of lately her appetite had gone again from stress. She was too far along to wander off into the mountains with to get away, and the only place she truly felt safe was the ranch.

They had two days left of hearing testimony before the jury would go to deliberate Chuck Culliver's fate, and Walker hoped he would be sentenced to death, but somehow death seemed to good for the man who had dared to harm what was most precious to him.

It was on the last day of testimony that Walker dreaded even waking up. Once he had gotten up and showered he went to wake Alex to find her sitting on the bed, tears rolling down her face.

"Alex, what is it? Are you in pain?" Walker asked, running to her side, kneeling down in front of her.

Alex shook her head, but she couldn't find the words to say what she was feeling.

"Come on Alex, talk to me, we can work our way through this, I promise."

Alex only sobbed louder and all Walker could do was to pull her close to him and hold her tight until the tears stopped. It was only after she had stopped, that he pulled her chin up to meet his gaze.

"You do know that you can tell me anything, don't you?"

Alex stared into the eyes of the man she loved, and all she saw staring back was truth and honesty. Before she could lose her courage she asked him what was on her mind.

"How is it you can love me after all of this? How is it that you are not repulsed at the sight of me? I wake up each morning and can't find the courage to look at myself in the mirror."

"I love you Alex. I love your heart, your body and your soul. I love the way you look in the morning when you sleep, I love the way you smile, and when you cry at those cheesy movies, and I love you for just being you. I couldn't possibly ever fell anything but love and admiration for what you went through. Do not doubt yourself Alex because I don't."

"This is why I love you Cordell Walker, because no matter how bad I fell about myself, you remind me what life is all about."

Walker left Alex so she could get dressed, and then they both drove down to CD's for a bite to eat before court.

"Sorry, I can't be there with you today Alex, but the fire inspector is coming today, and if I miss the appointment then he said he could close me down."

"Don't worry about it CD."

"How about I make it up to you by fixing you the best batch of omelets Texas has ever seen."

"Sounds good to me," Alex chuckled.

CD returned ten minutes later with an omelet that covered the entire plate, stacked with ham and cheese and bits of bacon inside. He set one plate down in front of Alex and one in front of Walker.

"Hey, Big Dog where is my plate?"

"Jimmy, I swear you ate three sandwiches an hour ago. You know you are worse than the rats out in the dumpster any kind of food you see you eat."

Trivette was about to retort that statement but instead his gaze fell on Alex who was pouring ketchup onto her omelet. As if that wasn't enough she then poured mustard on it, chopped up two pickles, and then glopped on a spoonful of mayonnaise.

"You are wrong Big Dog," Trivette said, pointing towards Alex's omelet. "There is no way I would eat that."

After they finished breakfast Walker and Alex left for the courthouse telling CD to come over for steaks at the ranch around seven. CD agreed to meet them there, and both of them parted ways with a smile.

Inside the courtroom Alex sat, tapping the desk with her fingers. It wasn't enough that she had to go through another day of hell, but now the omelet she ate was churning in her stomach. Maybe the glob of mayo she thought was unwise. She didn't have time to ponder it though as the side door opened and Chuck Culliver was led into the courtroom.

"This court calls Alex Walker to the stand."

Alex stood, the omelet feeling as if it was coming up, but she tried to push down the nausea. "Only two more days," she told herself, and she turned to smile at Walker.

Walker had been staring at her all morning. She looked so sexy to him. The natural glow of motherhood agreed with her, and now even at five months she looked just as good to him as the day he met her those many years ago.

No one saw Chuck Culliver slide the pen into his hand to write the note with, but as Alex passed near his table he got her attention.

"How about you and me finish what we started sweetheart. How about I give you what I know you have been craving since the last time we were together."

Alex glared at Culliver, her stomach twisting in knots, and a cold sweat breaking out on her brow as she tried to still her stomach.

"I get it, you liked it when I played rough. You liked being beat didn't you, turned you on. I know it did me."

Alex couldn't hold back any longer and soon she found herself retching on the floor in front of the defendant table. Walker stood up to help her, but Alex's knees buckled and she fell on top of Culliver's lawyer. That was all the opportunity that Chuck Culliver needed, and in seconds flat he had Alex by the throat, the pen held to it.

"Back off! All of you back off, or so help me God I will kill her."

Walker drew his gun as did the bailiff, but the sound and sight of the weapon only made Chuck Culliver laugh. "You think that you can kill me fast enough Ranger? Or are you willing to take the chance that I won't turn in the slightest killing your wife and these bastards growing inside her?"

Walker froze for a split second. "Leave her alone Culliver or so help me I will kill you."

"Not before I kill her, now why don't you get the nice bailiff over there to toss over the keys to these handcuffs, and we can both be on our way."

Walker nodded to the bailiff and he came over to release Culliver's handcuffs. "The shackles too, I am not stupid."

Once free Culliver leaned over and ran his tongue along the side of Alex's face. "She tastes as good now as she did before."

"You will not make it out of here alive Culliver, I state my life on it."

"Your life, who the hell wants your life Walker. I personally think it is much more fun to take all the things you care about away, and make you live, just like you did me."

Walker watched as Chuck Culliver dragged his wife through the judges chamber door. His mind blinked into a place it had not been in thirty years, not since he had been in the jungles of Vietnam. There he had one mission kill, and that was what he intended to do to Chuck Culliver. 


	37. A Fatal Mistake

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 37

Walker and the others stood outside the long hallway leading back to the Judge's chambers. The SWAT team had surrounded the door Culliver had gone through, but Walker didn't see the SWAT team when he stared at the door he saw, the place Alex had gone and he was determined to get inside.

"Cordell, you can't let him hurt her. You have to get in there and if you have to kill that bastard to get her away from him then that is what you do."

Walker didn't acknowledge CD. He didn't blink, he didn't even respond to the questions being fired at him by the other police officers. All he did was stare straight ahead.

No one spoke, no one moved, all were poised ready to shoot should the door open and Culliver come out with Alex.

"I can't take this waiting anymore. Why don't we just go in there and get her!" Trivette screamed, while he paced the floor.

"Because if we go busting in there he might kill her," Walker said never wavering in his attention at the door.

Hours clicked by, and still no sound came from within the room. There was only one way in and one way out. Culliver would have to go through a whole squadron to get out of there, and then he would have to go through Walker.

Walker was sitting on the floor outside the door, his head in his hands, when CD came and sat down beside him. "How much more can she take?"

"She is strong Cordell, don't you worry about that little lady in there."

Walker looked up, but in his eyes were pain, the pain of knowing that his wife was inside and here he was sitting on the outside. It was the sound of the scream reverberating that brought Walker to his feet, and without thinking he pulled his gun, pointing it at the door.

"Walker you can't go running inside there. What if he shoots you as you go through the door? Who is going to save Alex then?"

"I don't care. I will not let him do that to her again."

Trivette stood between Walker and the door, but when the second scream echoed throughout the hallway, Walker shoved him out of the way. The next sound everyone heard was the gun going off and then Walker walked through the door.

Inside the room Culliver had Alex pinned up against the wall, and his hand was drawing back as if to strike her.

"If you dare to lay another hand on her it will be your last," Walker warned. He could see Alex's face with the tears streaming down it. He could see the red mark on her cheek from Culliver's hand, and this made his anger boil.

Culliver whirled around, his hands around Alex's throat in a flash, her pinned in front of him. "Go ahead Walker, shoot. See if you can hit me, or will it be your lovely wife here that you hit?"

"Let her go Culliver, it is me you want." Walker said, as he stepped closer.

"On the contrary Walker, it isn't you I want at all. You see why would I want you when I have this lovely little thing here?" Culliver stroked the side of Alex's face and Walker saw her flinch away.

"Now you are going to help me get out of here Walker, or you little wife here is going to die, and the little kid inside her too."

Culliver was no idiot and Walker knew it. He sent Walker ahead of him, holding Alex around the neck as they walked through the open door.

"Get back or so help me I will snap her pretty little neck."

"Who is to say a bullet won't stop you," Trivette yelled.

"Well, it seems that Walker here needs to school you boy. You see your bullet probably would kill me, but I guarantee her neck would snap with my last dying movement, now move aside."

Trivette stood aside, letting Culliver pass, but they only made it as far as the courtroom before one of the SWAT team came towards Culliver on the right. The reaction was not something that Walker could even imagine. Before his eyes he saw Culliver twist his hands around Alex's neck, and knew that she would be dead in seconds if he didn't act fast. Without thinking Walker threw himself towards Culliver, knocking all three of them into the courtroom, but in the process his gun slid across the floor, right into Chuck Culliver's hands.

"Both of you get up!" he screamed, as Walker helped a trembling Alex to her feet. "Close that door behind you and barricade it ranger, or I will put a bullet in her head."

Walker closed the door, locking it. Culliver was still not satisfied though. Walker then took a chair and busted it up shoving the wooden piece through the handles on the door.

"A fine job, not both of you get over here and sit down." Culliver said, pointing towards the area in front of the witness stand.

Walker and Alex sat down, but Walker stood up again. "Let her go Culliver, she is pregnant. Do you really want those innocent lives on your hands?"

Culliver snatched Alex up off the floor and ran a hand through her hair. "I really couldn't care less about the kids you spawned Walker. Your wife on the other hand, would be a tragedy to lose, though I have no qualms about killing her after I have had my fun of course."

Alex stomped on Culliver's foot, grinding the heel of her shoe in, and for it Culliver yanked her around his fist connecting to the side of her head. Alex went down hard, her head smacking off the floor as she hit it.

"You should keep your woman in check Walker. One more little outburst like that and I am afraid she will cause me to kill her, by accident of course."

Walker ran over to where Alex was laying on the floor, and gathered her into his arms. Her head was bleeding a bit, but that wasn't what scared him. Alex began to moan, clutching at her head as if in excruciating pain.

"Alex, speak to me. Alex, can you hear me?"

Alex opened her eyes to see Walker staring back, concern in his, but his face soon blurred, and she whispered to him, "Walker, the babies. Don't let him hurt the babies."

"Babies! Walker so you are saying she is carrying more than one of your offspring?"

Walker didn't answer Culliver. He stared down at the round belly and he could see the small kick of a foot. His children, his wife, all of them were trapped inside this courtroom with a madman. Walker knew if they didn't get out of here soon that Alex could lose more than the babies, she could lose her life as well.

"Culliver, are you such a coward that you have to prey on pregnant women? Can't you simply fight me like a man?"

Culliver sneered, "What would be the fun of that? See Walker, your pretty wife here needs to be with a real man again."

"Touch her and you will die, if I have to kill you with my bare hands."

Culliver didn't waste any time, snatching Alex up from the floor. He wrapped his arms around her caressing her stomach as he did, while Alex whimpered as her head spun, making her feel dizzy.

Walker's rage was building. He wasn't going to let this happen again, he couldn't. He watched as Culliver held the gun to Alex's head, and then ran his hand down her face.

"Such a pretty little thing really. Such a shame you will have to witness this."

"What do you mean Culliver? I won't be witnessing anything."

"On the contrary Walker you will sit there while I have a little fun with your wife. Oh and if you think about interrupting us, I will blow her brains out. As a matter of fact why don't you take a seat on the witness stand for a better view, and so I can see you."

Walker didn't want to move, but Culliver had already locked the bullet in the chamber, poised to shoot Alex. With tears of anger pooling in his eyes Walker took a seat on the witness stand.

Culliver was beside himself with glee. He stood beside the defendant desk, "I have found Mrs. Walker guilty of lying to the judge and I sentence her to be punished!" he declared.

Culliver then pulled Alex to him and turned her around tossing her face down on the desk. Walker stood up, but again Culliver held the gun to Alex's head, and he slowly took his seat. Shame was building inside him, shame for what he could not stop.

Culliver stared at Walker then. "I think a just punishment is in order for you as well Walker. Give me your belt. See I would use mine, but they saw fit to take it from me, and what better to dole out her punishment than your own belt."

"You are insane! I won't give you my belt," Walker said, defiantly.

"Have it your way Walker. It is either your belt, or I am sure I can find some other object lying around to use, perhaps that piece of chair you broke off would work nicely."

Walker handed over his belt to Culliver but never sat down in his seat. He couldn't stand what was about to happen.

Culliver's eyes gleamed with satisfaction, and when he lifted the back of Alex's shirt Walker's face grew redder than he had ever seen. "I do hope you enjoy this Walker, I know I will."

The first slap of the leather across Alex's back brought her from her daze and her scream pierced the air, sending Walker's stomach into his boots. This in turn seemed to fuel the madness in Culliver and he again raised the belt, this time sending it down across her backside, and causing Alex to try and crawl away.

"No, no Mrs. Walker, your punishment has only just begun."

Culliver sent the belt raining down on her over and over till Alex's voice was hoarse from screaming and still she tried to fight him off, even when her back and buttocks started to bleed, as pieces of flesh were torn by the leather. Walker knew then and there Culliver was never leaving the room alive. He would kill him for harming Alex, and he felt no shame in the tears rolling down his face as he flinched.

Alex was crying now, begging Culliver to stop, her pleas though were only responded to with laughter. "Please, the babies. Don't hurt the babies," she begged, her voice raspy.

"Oh yes how could I forget the bastards that your husband created. I can't believe you would cheat on my brother like that, but no matter. If Walker can leave his spawn in you then so can I."

Alex's eyes grew wide with fear, and she tried to inch away from Culliver, but Culliver had other plans. He drove his knee into Alex's shredded back, holding her still, and with the other hand removed the lace underwear she had on.

Walker was on his feet now, screaming obscenities at Culliver, but Culliver only smiled at him. "Watch how a real man makes love to your woman Walker."

Alex was screaming now, both hands gripping the table, trying to get away. Culliver tried to hold her down, but in the end laid the gun down and with one hand he held her to the table, and with the other hand he was about to remove his pants. This was his mistake, his fatal mistake, and he never saw Walker as he dove over the witness stand at him. 


	38. Last Dying Breath

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 38

Walker had been sitting on the witness stand, full blown hatred flowing through his veins as he stared down at Alex; then it happened. Culliver had made a mistake, a fatal one in laying his weapon down, and now Walker was going to make him pay.

Sailing over the witness stand Walker didn't think of anything but killing Culliver. Alex had been screaming his name then, screaming and begging for help, but she hadn't made a noise in more than a couple of seconds, almost as if she had resigned herself to her fate.

Walker's fist landed squarely against Culliver's jaw sending him falling backwards away from Alex and the table. Culliver was sprawled on the floor, but soon regained his feet.

"Not happy that your wife prefers a real man over you?"

Walker didn't say anything, only staring at Culliver as the hatred built more and more till he felt he would burst soon if he did not kill the man. The guard's gun still laid on the table, and Walker saw Culliver's eyes divert to it for a second.

"Why don't you just pick up the gun Walker and end it, or don't you have the guts to?"

"I prefer to kill you with my bare hands Culliver. I want to feel the life slipping away from you, as I kill you for what you have done."

Culliver knew his life was as good as gone and threw himself toward the gun, but Walker stood between him and the gun, and he found himself quickly being thrown to the floor again. Culliver stood again this time wiping the blood from his lip, that was now split open.

"First blood Walker, nice job. It still won't change the fact of what I have done to your wife though," Culliver smirked, staring at Alex who laid quietly on the table. This enraged Walker further as he also stared back at his wife who laid on the table. Again he lunged for Culliver though the man backed away towards the door.

Culliver now ran towards the door, but before he could grab the chair stuffed up against it and get free Walker grabbed him. "You won't get away this time Culliver. No judge can save you now. You should have just taken your fate, and the needle that was sure to come to you. Now you will suffer like you have made me and my family suffer."

Culliver turned and started to scream then. "Walker is trying to kill me! Someone help!"

Outside the courtroom Trivette was pacing the floor back and forth. "He is going to kill him isn't he CD?"

CD seemed to be staring off into the distance as if remembering something. He answered but he never looked at Trivette. "Walker is a force to be reckoned with and Culliver has crossed over the line. I don't think he will come out of that room alive."

Inside the courtroom Culliver found himself again picking himself up off the floor. Before he could stand though another punch sent him to the ground, this one knocking out two of his teeth. "Get up!"

Culliver stared at Walker. He realized he was going to die, so he resolved to his fate and smirked, knowing he was going to torture Walker as best he could before his death.

"You know I won't scream, or beg for death, although your wife is a good screamer. See I recall her begging for me to stop, but of course it was just too much fun to watch her flinch as the belt tore away her pretty little flesh."

Walker's pent up rage flew towards Culliver then as he grabbed his arm, and Culliver heard the sickening crack as his arm broke, before he yelled out in agony.

"You broke my arm you bastard!"

Walker didn't seem to hear him as he grabbed Culliver and threw him away from the door. Culliver landed close to the defense table, and noticed Alex wasn't making any noise. True, her eyes were open, but not a sound was coming out of her. "Come on Walker. You have to admit you enjoyed the show. I saw the look in your eyes when she was being tortured."

"The only thing in my eyes Culliver was the urge to kill you."

Culliver raised his good arm when he saw the kick coming, but all he got for his troubles was the sound of his other arm breaking. Screaming now he went to the floor, both arms hanging loosely at his sides. "I hate you Walker!" he screamed, now spitting out the blood in his mouth onto the floor.

Culliver stood up his arms now longer feeling any pain the adrenaline rushing through him now. He stared first at Walker who was getting closer and then to Alex who was laying on the table, her eyes glazed over. Knowing he had nothing to lose he grabbed at her throat with his hand. The pain was immense, but this was his life, and he was not going down without a fight.

From the table he picked up the letter opener not seen before and held it to her throat, and Alex just laid there. "If you are going to kill me Walker, then I am taking your precious wife here with me."

Walker blinked for a mere second, seeing not Culliver standing before him but the man who had taken his parents, and the other people who had killed his friends in Vietnam. It was only after he had shaken the cobwebs of the past from his head that he realized Culliver's head was in his hands, and Culliver was dead, his neck broken. Tossing down the body Walker ran to Alex.

"Alex," he whispered to her, rubbing the hair from her face, as he stared at the open gashes on her back. Alex didn't even move, making no notion she had even heard Walker other than the tears slipping out of the corners of her eyes. Walker looked down at what was left of her back, noticing the deep gashes were now bleeding, but then he looked to her stomach. It was so round now, his children inside her, their children.

"Don't worry Alex I am going to help you."

Walker pulled Alex's shirt back down over her, and then stood her up gently. Alex's knees buckled the moment they touched the ground, but Walker's swift arms caught her and lifted her up, and that is when it happened. Alex let out a blood curling scream that echoed throughout the room, and Walker realized the extent of the open wounds on her back. He tried to shift her so that he wouldn't hurt her but there seemed to be no possible way.

The screams coming from inside the room caused the door the come flying open as the entire SWAT team came running into the room, Trivette and CD in the lead. What they saw left no room for doubt. Chuck Culliver laid dead on the floor.

"How is she Cordell?" CD asked, staring at Walker who was trying to shift Alex into a better position.

"She hurt CD," Walker gently spoke, not wanting to raise his voice.

"I'll get the EMS in here right away." CD took off running towards the hallway and in a second was back with the emergency medical team, who swarmed on Alex, assessing her as she laid in Walker's arms.

"Sir, you are going to have to lay her down so we can have a look at her."

Walker tried laying Alex down, but the second his arms were free from her she began panicking again. Her breaths were coming in short gasps now in between gurgled screams for them to stop touching her.

"Mrs. Walker if you don't calm down you will end up hurting yourself and the babies."

Alex didn't hear the medic. All her mind was registering was that someone she didn't know was touching her again, and Walker's safe arms weren't there. Alex shivered as she suddenly felt very cold, even though the room was nice and warm.

"Walker," she feebly called. Her head felt dizzy all of a sudden and she screamed again as the EMS man shifted her trying to place her on the backboard. "The babies," Alex whispered to Walker, her voice raspy from yelling.

Walker took her hand in his. He couldn't care less that the EMS guy was glaring at him for being in the way. "Don't worry Alex," he told her, hoping he was giving her some comfort. He watched as tears flowed from her beautiful eyes. "Walker, I don't feel so good."

"Hush Alex, you are going to be just fine. They are going to make you good as new." Walker knew Alex was in bad shape from the looks of her back, but his own eyes grew huge as suddenly she went limp. He hoped she had just passed out, but the EMS man calling frantically over his walkie talkie alerted him to the problem. As Alex laid there looking battered and beaten, he saw the slow trickle of blood coming from her.

"She is hemorrhaging. If we don't get her to the hospital soon she is going to not only lose the babies, but she will die as well. Let go of her hand Mr. Walker so we can help her!" he yelled, hoping to cut through the fog that was settling in Walker's head at the sight of the blood. Walker released Alex's hand and walked out following the medics. CD and Trivette were at his side in a flash trying to offer some kind of support as they followed Alex toward the ambulance, but all Walker could think of were Alex's blue eyes staring up at him, before they had closed. 


	39. Decisions

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 39

Walker sat in the ambulance but no matter what the EMS men did to her Alex laid there still as death. The sirens blared with the rush to get to the hospital, but even as they pulled into the unloading area Walker couldn't bring himself to let go of her hand.

He held her hand as they unloaded her, he even held her hand when they wheeled her down the hall, but the gurney stopped at the double doors to the exam room.

"You will have to stay here Ranger Walker. I will send someone out as soon as I can tell you something."

Walker didn't sit down though, he paced the floors. "Cordell, you know Alex will be just fine."

"How can you say that CD? Look at everything she has been through, and you think she will be all right?"

"That little lady is a fighter Cordell, no doubt about that, you just wait and see."

Walker did wait, he waited for hours, and finally the doors to the examination room flew open, Alex being rushed past him in a blur. "Ranger Walker I am afraid we couldn't control your wife's bleeding. She is going to need surgery."

Walker tried to get past the nurse how had given him the information, but she put her hands against him. "Ranger Walker I know you are upset but you cannot go back there."

Walker stood at the entrance, CD, and Trivette now both beside him.

The babies, what about the babies?" Walker said in a whisper.

"I'm sure they will do all that they can."

Walker sat down after being led to the chairs and pushed to sit by Trivette. Each of the two of them tried to get his mind off what was happening, but nothing they said or did seemed to stir the man from his vigil of the doors that Alex had disappeared behind.

"I'm going for some coffee does anyone else want any?"

Walker and CD both shook their heads no, and Trivette walked down the hall shaking his head. He loved Walker like a brother, and now he didn't know what to do to offer him any comfort. Twenty minutes later he was back with three cups of coffee. CD gratefully took his, but Walker waved it away, his eyes never leaving the door.

For what seemed like forever, but really was only two hours they sat there. Walker stood and paced the floor, every so often asking a passing nurse if she knew anything, but no one told him a thing. He was getting frustrated, and a more than a little scared. His thoughts ran from the bad to worse the longer he had to wait.

He was about to go and ask the nurse at the desk to check again when the two double doors opened, and the doctor walked out.

"Are you the family of Alex Walker?"

"I am her husband, and these are friends of the family."

"I am afraid your wife went into labor. We have given her something to stop the labor, but it doesn't seem to be working. We are going to give it another hour or so and then we will have to give her a c-section."

Walker swallowed the lump in his throat. "What about the babies, can they live being born so soon?"

"Twins bring an added risk into pregnancy as it is, but I think their chances for survival are better than most. What concerns us now is your wife. We have given her blood, but she does not seem to be improving."

"Can I see her?"

The doctor looked at the three of them and sighed. "For now I am sorry but only family is allowed back, and then only for a short while."

CD and Trivette nodded their head in understanding. "You will give her our love won't you Cordell?" Walker told them he would and he was then let into the room. The first thing he noticed was how white it was, how sterile.

The room was scary, more so than any man he had ever faced, for this was a room like the one he had saw his parents in the last time he saw them. It was in a room like this one, only they had been dead. A small shiver went through him as he approached the bed. Laying on the bed was Alex, her stomach bared with tubes and wires running everywhere. Walker was afraid to touch her, afraid it would somehow hurt her.

He sat down next to the bed in the chair and gently took hold of her hand. The IV in it looked ghastly, small droplets of blood on the sheets from where they had put it in. "Alex?" Walker whispered to her, but all he heard was the beep of the heart monitor, and the other machinery in the room.

"I should have killed Culliver back at the cabin. Trivette had the nerve to kill his brother and I should have known that he would cause trouble." Walker was now talking to himself, as Alex made no move to say she had heard anything. Walker sat in the room with nothing but the beeps and whirls of all the things Alex was hooked up to. He stared down at the monitor strapped to her stomach and watched the screen that held each baby's heartbeat on it.

The was almost soothing to see the little beep with the heart next to it and know that for now his babies were fine. Walker stood up to kiss Alex on the cheek, and brushing the few strands of hair off her face that had fallen into it.

"I love you Alex, and I hate to see you suffering like this. It tears me up inside when I can't do anything to stop the pain." Still Alex made no move to show she was hearing him. "Alex, the doctor says the babies should be all right even if they are delivered now." As soon as Walker said that Alex took in a deep breath, and then it seemed her whole body relaxed.

Walker hoped it meant she was about to wake up so he could tell her how much he loved her, but just as the smile was forming on his face the monitors started going off. The first alarm was the Alex heart rate monitor. The scream of it sent a nurse into to check, and after that it seemed all the monitors went haywire. One by one they started screaming as if to alert Walker that all was not well in the room.

Walker was pushed into the corner as more and more people rushed in, checking wires and tubes. "Ranger Walker you are going to have to leave now."

Walker stood his ground, refusing to budge. "What is wrong? Tell me doctor what is going on?"

The doctor gave the others instructions and then moved to the door very quickly. "You wife is deteriorating fast. The babies are in jeopardy. We have to move now if we wish to try and save them all. Go to the waiting room and I will be with you in just a moment."

"Walker, why did they rush Alex out of the room? Is something wrong?"

"They said the babies are in jeopardy so they are going to have to go ahead and take them."

CD could see the fear in Walker's eyes, and he put his arms around him and pulled him into a rare hug. "Somehow Alex will make it through this Cordell, I just know she will."

Walker wanted to believe him, but Alex had looked so pale, so lifeless. He was about to tell Trivette and CD everything that had gone on in the room, when the doctor came out, wearing scrubs, a nurse at his side.

"Ranger Walker," he said motioning for Walker to come over to where he stood. CD and Trivette were not about to be left in the dark and walked over with him. "I have to get your decision."

Walker stared blankly at him. "My decision on what?"

"I need your decision of which to save. If we can only save either you wife or the babies which do you want us to try for?"

Walker's mouth fell open, too stunned to respond. "I can't make that decision," he finally sputtered out.

"Ranger Walker, I will not give you false hope, Your wife is in critical condition at this time. We may be able to stabilize her, but I cannot tell you for sure that we can. I need your decision."

Walker shook his head. "I am sorry I can't." When the doctor stared at Walker, still waiting CD spoke up. You do whatever you have to doctor, to see that they all come out of this okay."

The doctor looked sadly at Walker. "I will do my best, honestly I will, but I don't know if it will be enough."

All three men stared after him. The next two hours would seem like an eternity. 


	40. The Long Night

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 40

Walker paced the floor outside if the double doors Alex had gone through. He couldn't sit down for then his mind might give in to all the horrible thoughts he was having. Could he really have ever made the decision to chose Alex or the babies? What if she lived and they didn't. She would forever blame him, and if by some chance the babies lived, how could he stare into their faces knowing he chose them and left them without a mother.

Rubbing his hands across his eyes to fight off the tears, Walker started pacing again. "CD, what did the nurse say?" he asked the older man as he came walking back towards them.

"She said that they still didn't know anything."

The three of them waited. The sun had gone down hours ago, and now Walker stared out the window in the waiting room. The room was empty as if nothing else dared to disturbed the dreary night, nothing that is but the ache in his heart over what was happening. Before he could dwell on it any longer, the nurse walked back in. "The doctor will be in to talk with you in a moment Ranger Walker."

Walker felt himself breath a sigh of relief. "See Cordell, the doctor is coming, and I am sure he is going to tell you the babies are fine."

Walker stepped away from the window, meeting the doctor halfway into the room. "How is she doc? And the babies?"

"Ranger Walker, maybe you better sit down." Walker didn't like the sound of that at all. "I;; stand if it is all the same to you."

The doctor nodded his head. "Well, the good news is that your babies although a bit small are doing fine. A couple extra days in the hospital and they should be able to go home." Walker felt his heartbeat go haywire. "What about Alex?"

The doctor's face turned from joyous as he told them about the babies to one of sorrow. "I am afraid your wife lost a lot of blood. She is in a coma right now. She may come out of it in a couple of days, or she may never." The doctor stood up. "I am truly sorry. You may go and see your children, they are in the nursery, but give us a few moments to get your wife settled in her room."

Walker's face paled, and for the first time in hours he sat down, placing his face in his hands. "How could I chose? Now Alex is in a coma."

CD tried to comfort him, but Walker was beyond comfort now. CD did the only thing he knew to do. "Come on Cordell, let's go see the babies."

Walker got up and made his way down the hallway to the nursery. He waited by the small door until the nurse came in and ushered him to the hand washing station. Once he was done, she handed him his son, and then in the other hand she placed his daughter.

Walker stared at them, tears filling his eyes. In his hands were two perfect little angels, his angels. "Welcome to the world little ones," he whispered, placing a kiss on each ones head. From outside the window CD and Trivette were snapping pictures right and left. Walker sat there in the rocking chair, holding both the babies until one of them began to cry."What is wrong with her?"

The nurse came over and took the baby from his arms. "She is probably hungry. Would you like to feed her?" Walker was scared to death to feed the baby. He hadn't moved much in the chair for fear of dropping one or squishing one of them too tightly, but as he gave the bottle to her, she nestled down in his arms and soon was back asleep.

The nurse came to take the babies from Walker and he left out of the nursery. "Cordell, they are beautiful," CD said, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I am going downstairs to get them both something."

"You go ahead CD. I am going to see Alex."

CD stopped then, placing his hand on Walker's shoulder. "Do you want me to come with you?"

"I'll be all right. I will meet you and Trivette downstairs in a bit."

Walker made his way back down the hallway filled with parents thrilled over their new bundles of joy. He wanted to feel that way too. He wanted to share his joy with Alex. Sighing again he pushed open the doors to the intensive care wing, and went inside. He was escorted to Alex's room, the lights were dimmed down, and he took a seat beside the bed, waiting for the nurse to leave them alone. Once she was gone Walker took Alex's hand in his

He wanted to say something, but no words seemed to be good enough. Had this been his choice, or had fate chosen for him? Either way Alex was laying there, her eyes closed. "Alex, wake up. I want you to be able to see the babies. They are so beautiful Alex, just like you. Don't leave me here to take care of them alone, please Alex just wake up, just open your eyes."

Walker sat by the bed, waiting, holding Alex's hand but she didn't move. Tears filled his eyes. "I can't do this without you, I never could. I know you think I am some tough guy, but really you are the tough one. Your are the one that is strong Alex, be strong now, fight for us, fight for the babies, and fight because I don't want to be here without you."

Walker waited by the bedside all night long, till he finally closed his eyes around dawn. Walker laid there for a few hours, Alex's hand still clutched in his. He didn't wake till the nurse tapped him on the shoulder. "Ranger Walker, there are two men who are downstairs waiting for you. They seemed a bit worried."

Walker stood up, taking one last look at Alex before walking towards the door. "Where are you running off to Cowboy?"

Walker turned in time to see Alex opening her eyes. He yelled for joy, causing the nurse to shush him, but he didn't care, Alex was awake.

A/N: Well there will be one more chapter to this fic and then I will start posting my new one called "Tell Me Lies" Hope to see all of you there. 


	41. The End

Title: Heart's Ransom

Summary: A ransom leads to a very long weekend for Walker and Alex

Disclaimer: I do not own them

A/N: First attempt at a Walker fic, be nice

Chapter 41

Walker was at Alex's bedside in seconds, taking her hand in his. He was so relieved just to see her eyes open that he didn't think about anything else. He was soon pushed out of the way as several doctors and nurses came rushing in. He didn't want to stand silently in the corner as they poked and prodded Alex, as each time she moaned or tried to fight off the many hands on her, his patience wore a little more.

"Cordell?" CD asked, as he and Trivette came into the room, tired of waiting for Walker to come down to them. "We were in the hallway and saw all the doctors and nurses running past. Is Alex all right? Has something worse happened?"

"Something wonderful has happened, she is awake," Walker said, smiling at the man he had come to know as a father figure.

"She doesn't appear to want them anywhere near her," Trivette observed. Just as the words left his lips Alex yelled out, screaming Walker's name. Again he was at her side, shoving the doctor out of the way.

"Ranger Walker! I have to assess your wife in order to see how she is coming along."

"She is coming along just fine, and the last thing she needs is over ten people hovering over her after what she has been through."

The doctor saw that Walker was not going to budge and nodded for the others to leave. "I will give the two of you some time alone, but I shall return shortly."

Walker sat down beside Alex then, and saw her whole body was trembling. "Are you in pain Alex?"

Alex didn't say anything for a long while, making Walker's anxiety rise even more. "The babies, Walker. How are the babies?"

"Don't you worry Alex, the babies are fine. You are the one I am concerned with now."

Alex sat there for a couple minutes just letting the feeling of Walker being near soothe her. "Walker I don't want to stay here."

"I know Alex, I know. We want you to be all right though."

Alex stared into the eyes that had spent the last few days watching over her. "I will be just fine as long as you are there. Please Walker."

Walker didn't know what to do. On the one hand he was feeling very leery about taking Alex out of the hospital, but on the other hand she was staring at him with those blue eyes that she knew would eventually melt his heart. "I will talk it over with the doctor and see what he says."

Alex waited while Walker was gone. She wanted to see her babies again, wanted to hold them. She was just swinging her legs over the side of the bed when the door opened, a nurse walking in. "I thought you might like to see your babies. Felt it might cheer you up a bit."

When Walker returned he had the doctor in tow with him. Right after both of them came CD and Trivette who at once were cooing at the babies, leaving the others to talk for a minute.

"Mrs. Walker, your husband has expressed your desire to go home. Although I don't suggest it, I see no reason you can't go. I do however suggest that a nurse come by and check on you and the babies for the next week, and that you come back here for a follow up appointment at the end of the week."

Alex's whole body seemed to relax then, a small smile flittering over her face. "Thank you doctor. I will take it easy I promise."

"I know you will Mrs. Walker as your husband has been lectured not to let you do anything strenuous at all, not even the smallest of things."

Alex gulped when she saw the mischievous look in Walker's eyes then, but nodded. CD and Trivette had left shortly after the doctor to go and get things ready. Alex had asked what that meant but neither of them said anything as they kissed her on the cheek and ran out the door.

Three hours later after signing way too many forms in Alex's opinion they were on their way home. Walker had made Alex ride in the wheelchair down to the truck, and had helped her in after putting the babies in their car seats. Alex felt so much joy and relief over going home she hadn't even realized they were there till the truck stopped. When Alex looked up she saw five or six other cars sitting in the driveway, and the house was adorned in banners and balloons everywhere.

Alex waited till Walker got out of the truck and came over to help her out. At once her daughter was handed to her, and Walker helped her to the steps of the house.

"Welcome home Alex!" everyone shouted, sending the babies into tears immediately. Alex and Walker shushed the babies, till at last they were again quiet, before turning around on the steps.

"What is all this?" Alex asked.

"We just wanted to get together to welcome you home. There are enough meals inside so that you don't have to lift a finger for a couple of weeks, and Sydney here cleaned the house up."

"Cleaned the house?" Walker said, wondering if he would ever find his stuff now.

"Yes, cleaned the house, and baby proofed it too."

Alex was trying to hide her grin then. "Well, are you going to tell us what you named the babies or do we have to guess?"

Alex beamed up at everyone. "We would like you all to welcome Cassandra, and Nicholas Walker." Everyone cheered and Walker helped Alex inside to the couch. The rest of the afternoon was spent with people coming to hold the babies and dropping off small gifts for them. It wasn't until many hours later that the house finally settled down after the guests had left. Alex stared down at the babies who were now nestled beside her on the couch, both asleep.

"How are the three of you doing?" Walker asked, coming to sit on the other side of her.

"You know I think we are all just fine."

Even after all they had been through, Walker and Alex both knew that their love could overcome anything. After placing the babies in their crib Walker came back and picked Alex up toting her to bed, their bed, the place where they conceived two beautiful children. Walker knew that Alex held the key to his heart's ransom.

A/N: Well everyone I wanted to thank you for the wonderful reviews and I hope you will all read "Tell Me Lies" my new fic which will start posting on Thursday. Hope to see you there! 


End file.
